Truck Rollover Accidents
Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
If you were involved in a semi truck rollover accident, you may have sustained serious injuries, and you may even have lost a loved one. Now, as you are trying to recover from your injuries and get back to work, the bills pile up and become as recurrent as the nightmares about the accident. You should not have to pay for the accident that injured you and changed your life forever, an accident that was not your fault and might have been prevented.
If you are facing lingering injuries and bills from a large truck rollover accident, the Maryland personal injury attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C. can help. Please contact us today for a free initial consultation.
Causes of Rollover Accidents
Unlike SUV, small truck, and car rollover accidents, most large truck rollover accidents are not caused by tripping. Instead, most rollover truck accidents are due to the truck’s higher center of gravity. The center of gravity for a truck’s cargo can be as high as nine feet off the ground. During any change of direction, the mass of the cargo resists the change, and, since the truck’s only source of control is at the road surface, the conflict can often cause large trucks to tip over.
A truck can tip over at speeds of 30 miles per hour or less, and at highway speeds, even a too-rapid lane change can lead to a dangerous rollover.
Drivers and Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents are often the result of actions performed by the driver, especially turns and course corrections. When a driver is steering to avoid one accident, the truck may get out of control and cause another accident. Distracted drivers are more likely to be taken by surprise and take sudden evasive action.
Some drivers also have a false sense of confidence in their ability to gauge their speed and the maneuverability of their trucks. Although many truckers believe they can accurately estimate their speed visually, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that driver’s estimates are often off by as much as 20 miles per hour, easily the difference between a safe maneuver and a rollover accident.
In addition, when a driver is pulling an unfamiliar cargo with an unusually high center of gravity, he may be surprised at how easily the cargo pulls the truck into a rollover situation.
Preventing Rollover Accidents
The FMCSA notes that roll stability advisors (RSAs), roll stability controls (RSCs), and electronic stability controls (ESCs) can help prevent rollover accidents. An RSA notifies a driver of a potential rollover situation, giving the driver an opportunity and responsibility to act. An RSC detects a potential rollover situation and automatically initiates a maneuver to reduce the likelihood of a rollover. An ESC performs similar to an RSC, but also detects and tries to prevent jackknife and other loss-of-control incidents.
In addition, truckers should be trained and practiced in preventing rollovers. Since rollover accidents are a dangerous but expected and preventable risk, truck companies should be expected to take serious measures to prevent them.
If you have been hurt or lost a loved one in a rollover accident that might have been prevented, the Maryland personal injury lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C. can help. Please call or email us today for a free consultation.
