As you drive along and notice all the large vehicles surrounding you, your thoughts may turn to what would happen if one were to roll over. This kind of truck accident can devastate a smaller vehicle, such as a car or motorcycle.
After you are in a collision, learning about how rollovers happen can help you understand what steps to take next.
Carrying oversized and heavy loads
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, over 78% of truck crashes that involve rollovers happen partially or completely due to errors from the driver. Truckers may ignore warning signs that their vehicle is going to roll over, such as if the truck is struggling to stay upright when it is carrying too much extra weight.
Ignoring the weight limit of a truck can make it easier for it to roll over if a large breeze or some other kind of obstacle pushes against it.
Turning suddenly
When a trucker takes a turn too quickly for the vehicle itself to handle, it may start a rollover accident. This excessive speed and sudden switching of direction can shift the weight of the goods on the truck too quickly for it to stay upright. Drivers around this truck may not have a chance to turn around or get out of the way.
Taking dangerous slopes
Truckers overestimating how much a truck can handle on a sloped road can leave them dealing with a rollover. When a large vehicle goes down or up a slope that is too sharp, the weighted areas of the truck can make it tip.
When you are suffering from a truck rollover accident, stay aware of all the ways that truckers can cause this problem.