One type of truck accident that sometimes occurs is known as a load shift accident. This crash would not have happened due only to driving mistakes that the driver made, but the load they were carrying moved during transport. This caused the crash.
For instance, perhaps a driver was going around a corner when the load shifted to the outside edge of the trailer. Suddenly, the truck was no longer balanced properly, and the force of the turn pulled it over. This caused the truck to fall into the oncoming lanes, where it struck a vehicle coming toward it. The driver was attentive and alert, he or she had both hands on the wheel and the driver did not intentionally enter the oncoming lanes, but they still clearly caused the accident.
How does this happen and why?
This can happen for a lot of different reasons, but perhaps the main one is simply that the load was not secured properly. Maybe it was supposed to be strapped down to keep it centered in the truck, but the loading crews decided not to do so in order to save time. Perhaps the driver was supposed to check the load before they left the dock, but they were in a hurry and so they didn’t do it.
No matter how it happens, studies have found that load shifts make rollover accidents more common, and they can also just send the truck veering out of control, even when it doesn’t fully roll. Either of these events can cause catastrophic accidents and serious injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you need to know who was responsible and how you can seek proper financial compensation.