Large trucks are vulnerable to rollover accidents due to their high center of gravity and tendency to transport unstable loads. These accidents often result in fatalities or serious injuries.
What are some of the common causes of large truck rollovers?
Common causes of large truck rollovers
Research has found that most large truck rollovers result from either unsafe actions or latent factors. Unsafe actions are actions taken by either the driver of the truck or another driver involved in the accident that results in a rollover. Latent factors are inherent risks associated with the type of vehicle or the vehicle’s load that make a truck more likely to roll over.
Common unsafe actions
The most common unsafe action that contributes to rollover accidents is driving too fast for conditions. Driving too fast around curves is particularly likely to result in a rollover. The second most common cause is inattention by drivers. Sleep deprivation is often a contributing factor to inattention accidents.
There are several less common causes of rollover accidents:
- Road rage brought on by the actions of other drivers
- Failure to notice posted speed limits
- Improperly secured or overly heavy loads
- Poorly maintained brakes
- Driving on worn tires
- Failure to account for poor sight distance
- Errors in controlling truck motion
- Mistakes by other drivers
Research suggests that while the nature of large trucks makes them more susceptible to rollover accidents, it is primarily negligent driving on the part of truck drivers that is to blame. If you have suffered an injury because of a negligent truck driver, you may be able to recover damages.