How Can You Tell If a Truck's Load Failed?

If you’ve been involved in a truck accident in Pottsville, you know full well that in such collisions, the load that the truck carries often presents the greatest threat. Often, it is a load failure that causes an accident. Yet given that such collisions occur on the road very quickly, how are you know if yours was due to a load failure or not? In many instances, even the trucker won’t know.

Unfortunately, it is often difficult to prove the improper handling of loads solely from documentation from the trucker or carrier because it is likely that there’s no mention of it. Another fact to come out of the AAAM study was that in cases of load failures, the cargo was placed before the driver was assigned. In those and other cases, drivers paid too little attention to the height, weight, or security of the load. Given the potential for this poor attention to detail, it may be difficult to bank on having detailed records from the driver or carrier to support your case.

However, there are signs on a truck itself that are clearly visible after an accident that could help prove it to be a case of load failure. Look for things like irregular wear patterns on the tires, slow or unresponsive steering and suspension, or a sagging back end. While none of these tips should be taken as legal advice, they may help bolster your claim of a poorly-placed load causing your accident.