California motorists should be aware of all the types of accidents that they can face on the road and what they can do to prevent them. One of the dangers is the risk of cargo tank rollovers. Since there are many misconceptions about the causes of this type of accident, it is important to know the facts behind rollovers and what drivers of these vehicles can do to prevent them.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, each year, there are 1,300 cargo truck rollovers. The misconceptions about the causes of this type of accident include poor driving conditions, speeding or reckless driving and inexperienced drivers. However, statistics compiled by that agency in 2007 revealed that 93 percent of rollover accidents actually occur on dry roads, most of them during the day, and 56 percent happen on straight roads. Speeding is also not a major cause, since it is a factor in only 28 percent of accidents. Finally, drivers with 10 or more years of experience are involved in about 65 percent of these rollovers.
The primary reasons for these truck accidents include the load size, driver error and the condition of the vehicle at the time of the incident. About 63 percent of cargo truck rollovers occurred when the truck was hauling a partially filled tank, and drivers failed to understand the ‘slosh and surge effect” that liquid loads have. More than 75 percent of the rollovers involved driver error, and most of the time, the rollover followed another mistake made by the driver. There is often some form of brake malfunction as well.
Despite all precautions, these types of accidents will continue to happen. A person who has been injured in a rollover that was caused by a negligent driver may want to speak with an attorney to see if it would be advisable to bring a personal injury lawsuit against both the driver and the trucking company itself.