Like most Americans, you drive on the freeway regularly to get across town or go on road trips. This means you often share the road with large commercial trucks. You and other Pennsylvania residents may understand that there are numerous dangers unique to large trucks. Rollover accidents are one of the deadliest and most terrifying of these dangers.
As you know, rollover accidents occur when a truck tips or rolls. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, most accidents of this type – 78 percent – are the result of truck driver error. Preventable factors that can contribute to a rollover accident include the following:
- A trucker who is speeding or recklessly swerving between lanes
- The distracted or intoxicated driver
- A truck driver who makes a turn too fast or too sharp
- An improperly loaded or overly loaded truck
- A truck in need of maintenance, especially with the brakes or tires
A truck driver making a mistake is not the only way his or her vehicle could roll, however. Rough road conditions or heavy traffic might cause a rollover accident. Wet or icy weather or high winds could also cause a truck driver to lose control, despite his or her best efforts.
As you can imagine, rollovers may be dangerous for truckers but can be devastating to those in nearby vehicles. Your car could easily be crushed by the side of a truck’s trailer, or cargo that is falling out of a rolled truck could endanger you. You may be in a chain-reaction accident with other drivers who are attempting to avoid a rollover. You could suffer exposure to hazardous chemicals or severe burns if diesel fuel spills from a rolled truck or catches fire.
Staying aware of the actions of truck drivers near you may help you avoid becoming a victim in a crash, but not all accidents are preventable. A negligent driver or company may be liable for your losses.