We’ve all seen news stories about horrific truck accidents involving large semi-trucks, many of which were carrying cargo at the time of the crash. While dangerous, these are not the only types of trucks that can cause serious damage in an accident.
Flatbed Trucks
Flatbed trucks have an open trailer and are used primarily for transporting large and heavy cargo. Because they have no walls and no roof, flatbed trailers are often used to carry items that cannot fit inside closed trailers, such as heavy construction equipment, or logs and lumber. For this reason, using correct loading procedures is absolutely necessary, as it is much easier for material to come loose during transit and spill onto the roadway.
Tanker Trucks
Tanker trucks carry liquids, many of which are hazardous materials, such as gasoline and oil. Most liquid cargo transported by tanker trucks is flammable, which means that if a tanker truck is involved in an accident, there is a high risk of the cargo catching on fire or exploding. Liquid cargo also has a tendency to slosh around during transit, especially if a truck is not carrying a capacity load. Because of the continuous shifts in weight, drivers must be especially vigilant or they could easily lose control of the truck. Many tanker trucks also carry dangerous chemicals and even radioactive material. If a truck transporting this type of cargo is involved in an accident, victims risk suffering chemical burns.
Dump Trucks
Dump trucks are used to transport loose material, such as:
- Sand;
- Gravel;
- Dirt;
- Tree branches; and
- Trash.
Because of the way they are constructed, dump trucks are more likely to be involved in backing-up accidents and rollovers than are other types of large trucks. Dump trucks often carry thousands of pounds worth of material, so taking a fast turn raises the risk of tipping over. Dump trucks are also notorious for having large blind spots, which means that drivers often have a limited view, especially when reversing. For this reason, dump truck operators are required to undergo special training and implement safety procedures when loading and unloading. Unfortunately, some drivers do not take the time to use these safety measures, which causes hundreds of injuries every year.
Semi-Trucks
Semi-trucks, which are more commonly known as big rigs, are used primarily for transporting cargo and because there are so many of them on the road, are involved in most large truck accidents. Semi-trucks have large blind spots, which makes it difficult for drivers to see other approaching vehicles. They are also extremely heavy and so require long stopping distances, which means that they are prone to jackknifing if a driver attempts to brake too abruptly. These types of large trucks also have a high center of gravity and so are prone to rollovers, which is especially dangerous not only because of their large size, but because rollovers can cause cargo to come loose and spill onto the roadway.
Contact a Skilled Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Whether you were injured in a crash with a semi-truck, a flatbed trailer, or a dump truck, you deserve compensation for your losses if the accident was caused by another person’s negligence. Please contact U.S. Truck Accident Attorneys to learn more about your legal options by calling 313-438-4357 today.
2 www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks
