Truck accidents that happen on Illinois roads can be catastrophic. One of the biggest factors causing these accidents is improper cargo loading.
Why are truck accidents so dangerous?
Truck accidents pose serious dangers due to the sheer weight and size of the vehicle. The impact of an accident is much more severe compared with that of regular cars. However, the dangers are even greater when a truck is loaded with cargo. Trucks often carry heavy loads that sometimes contain hazardous or combustible materials. This can make for a devastating situation if the truck crashes or if the cargo comes loose.
What are some common cargo loading errors?
According to the standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, cargo must be properly loaded onto a truck to prevent potential disasters from happening. Cargo must be securely held in place and must not exceed the appropriate weight limit. Unfortunately, cargo is sometimes improperly loaded on a truck in various ways. This often stems from negligence.
Cargo must not be secured using worn-out tie-downs or with those that are not strong enough or the right size to hold the cargo in place. This could lead to the tie-downs easily breaking and the cargo littering all over the road.
Another error with cargo loading is when the cargo is too heavy for the truck to bear. Cargo should always be properly distributed when secured or it can tip over. If it also happens to be too heavy, that could lead to the driver losing control of the truck or even a truck rollover, which can be deadly.
Cargo should never obstruct the truck driver’s view. When there’s too large a load even if it’s at an appropriate weight, it can prevent the driver from seeing behind the truck and cause an accident. Truckers must have a clear view all around the vehicle even though it’s normal for trucks to have several blind spots.
