One of the potentially most deadly types of accidents involving semitrucks are those where they jackknife on the highway. Not only are they quite dangerous for the trucker behind the wheel of the jackknifed rig, but they can also be lethal to those motorists and passengers in the cars and trucks near them on the road.
Below is some important information about the reasons trucks jackknife and how to prevent it.
Causes of jackknifing accidents
Below are some of the most common factors that cause or contribute to jackknife truck wrecks:
- Improper loading. All drivers must inspect their loads before beginning or starting on the next leg of their trips. Cargo that was not properly loaded and secured can shift, causing rollovers or jackknife accidents.
- Attempting turns at too high a speed. Turning a big rig too sharply for the road can create a low-speed jackknife situation. While these are typically not as deadly as the jackknife accidents that happen at high speeds, they can still cause injuries and damages and tie up highways for long periods.
- Braking too hard. Sometimes, an action taken to avoid one kind of collision or hazard, e.g., hard braking to avoid an accident ahead, can create another — jackknifing.
Regardless, at least a portion of liability for the crash will usually be assigned to the driver of the big rig for failing to maintain control of the semitruck.
Learn your rights after a Texas truck accident
If you suffered injuries and other losses after an accident with an 18-wheeler, you may be able to recover financial damages from the insurance policy in force for the trucking company.