(702) 857-6000What Causes A Truck to Jackknife?
Truck accidents are some of the most dangerous on our roads. The massive size of large trucks means that when a truck crashes with a smaller vehicle, the results are often tragic.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a total of 4,102 people died in large truck crashes in 2017. Seventy-four percent of these fatalities were in crashes involving tractor-trailers. Twenty-five percent of those were crashes involving single-unit trucks. The remainder involved both a tractor-trailer and a single-unit truck. One of the most dangerous types of truck crashes involves a truck that jackknifes.
What is a Jackknifing Accident?
A jackknife accident is a type of accident that occurs when the cab of a truck skids in one direction while the trailer goes the other way. In these types of accidents, the truck often overturns because it was completely out of control. A jackknife accident can happen very quickly, and if you are following closely behind, you could get caught up in the accident.
Why Does a Truck Jackknife Happen?
These types of vehicle accidents can occur for a number of reasons. Some common causes include:
- Improper braking – If the trailer brakes have been improperly maintained or adjusted, this can make the axles and wheels lock up. If the truck brakes too hard with locked, brakes, the trailer skids to the side of the cab.
- High speeds – If a large truck driver is driving too fast with a fully loaded trailer and has too suddenly brake, the loaded trailer may not be able to stop in time. The truck will stop at a different rate of speed than the trailer, which will cause them to go in different directions – the cab will swing one way, while the trailer swings the other.
- Unsafe road conditions – If the road is slippery, it may cause a truck to lose traction and slide. The driver will be unable to maintain control and will begin to slide.
Experienced Truck Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been injured in a jackknife accident and would like to speak with a law firm that has experience dealing with truck accidents in Las Vegas, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today at (702) 857-6000. We offer Free Consultations.
