Danger may be lurking when you are traveling behind or alongside trucks carrying cargo loads. Sometimes truck drivers neglect to secure their loads properly or clear their trucks of debris, creating a serious road hazard for other motorists. Improperly secured loads can also shift during travel, potentially causing a rollover truck accident.
Large and unsecured cargo items falling off the many trucks that travel through Iowa Interstate highways and roads can do a significant amount of damage to other motor vehicles and it could cause serious injury or death to motorists and their passengers if they are struck by debris from lost loads.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, at 55 miles per hour, an object weighing just 20 pounds that falls from a vehicle strikes with the impact of half a ton.
Loads and debris that fall off a truck cause catastrophic injuries to other motorists every year. A 2012 congressional study revealed that in 2010 alone, unsecured loads and road debris caused 440 deaths and 10,000 injuries in more than 51,000 incidents.
Despite the danger, state laws for unsecured loads have been largely inconsistent, however, truck companies, their drivers and other motorists carrying loads have unique responsibilities when it comes to safety.
Legal Help for Those Injured by Truck and Car Accidents Caused by Unsecured Loads
Injuries or fatalities that are caused by improperly secure loads or other violations of trucking regulations may give rise to a personal injury claim against drivers and trucking companies. If you or a family member has been injured in a truck and car accident caused by unsecured loads, contact the Law Offices of Stoltze & Stoltze PLC for help today.
