What Causes Rollover Truck Accidents?
Per WITN-TV, a rollover truck accident has claimed the life of a 68-year-old Deep Run man and left his 48-year-old wife seriously injured. Reportedly, the fatal truck crash happened on Highway 11 near Hills Crossroads, and the 68-year-old man was a passenger in an SUV his wife was driving.
As a tractor-trailer truck was traveling north along Highway 11, another 18-wheeler pulled onto the road in front of it. The truck traveling north on Highway 11 swerved to avoid hitting the big rig that pulled out in front of it.
However, despite swerving, the 18-wheeler was unable to avoid swiping the front bumper of the other truck. After clipping the front of the other truck, the 18-wheeler hit the SUV, which was stopped at a stop sign. This collision sent the SUV into a tailspin and caused the tractor-trailer truck to flip over onto the SUV.
The driver of the truck that pulled out in front of the other big rig was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.
What Can Lead to a Rollover Truck Accident?
A rollover truck accident can happen for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to following:
- Improperly Balanced Loads – If the items that an 18-wheeler is carrying are not properly loaded or secured in the trailer, it could lead to the truck being tipped to one side or make it top-heavy. This could result in the vehicle overturning on sharp curves, while making a turn or while traveling during windy conditions.
- Truck Driver Error – Examples of this includes driving fatigued, texting while driving and driving while intoxicated. This can also include speeding, especially when driving around curves, in heavy traffic or in bad weather, such as rainy or icy conditions. In addition, if truckers are not properly trained or too inexperienced, it can lead to them driving recklessly.
- Improper Maintenance – If a truck is not correctly maintained or properly inspected, it could result in rollover accidents happening due to brake failure or tire blowouts.
Victims of truck accidents and their families should speak to an experienced truck accident attorney immediately following the incident.
In many cases, trucking companies and their insurers will send representatives to gather evidence for their defense before the accident scene has even been cleared.
Therefore, it is crucial that injury victims and families have a legal team on their side who can guide them through the process of holding negligent truckers and truck companies accountable for their negligence.