Do you get a little nervous when an 18-wheeler appears in the lane next to you? A big rig is so massive and takes up so much space that it makes many drivers anxious. If an accident happens, the passenger vehicle you are in will be at a disadvantage.
The possibility of a crash increases considerably if the big rig is overloaded. If your peripheral vision tells you that the truck is edging out of its lane and moving closer to your car, unbalanced cargo could be the cause.
Shifting
The employees of a trucking company should always undergo thorough training and education in good loading practices. Improper loading or overloading can easily cause a cargo to shift. This creates an imbalance that makes controlling the truck more difficult for the driver and could contribute to a rollover. If loaders do not secure the cargo properly, items could fall into the roadway, causing possible accidents and injuries.
Losing control
It is very important for the driver of an 18-wheeler to be capable of handling the truck well during an emergency. However, overloading will cause braking distances to increase, and the driver can easily misjudge how long it will take to stop the truck. An overloaded big rig that is traveling down a grade will be going much faster than expected. The driver will have to apply additional braking force in order to stop.
Identifying causes
If the truck in the lane next to you comes closer and a crash occurs, a thorough investigation should reveal the exact cause. If overloading was involved, the driver, the trucking company and possibly a third party who loaded the vehicle may all be at fault. Accident re-constructionists can determine how the crash happened, and that information may allow you to hold the parties liable that were responsible for causing any injuries you received.