Catch of the Day: An Overturned Box Truck
A box truck flipped over and landed itself in a creek. When it came off the road, the front end became wedged against a large bush, contorting the box and damaging the connection between the box and the truck itself. This truck accident recovery required a full crane lift to fish it out of the creek. Watch the video to see how we lifted the box and truck with our new crane. It did feel a lot like fishing, and we caught ourselves a big one.
The Main Causes of Truck Overturns
The leading cause of a semi-truck overturn is a centrifugal force. If a truck is traveling along a curved road, that force will cause it to lean away from the direction of the curve. If it leans too much, it can roll over and require truck accident recovery services.
Box trucks like this one are more vulnerable because the trailer has a high center of gravity. How the box is loaded can make a huge difference in stability and safety. If the load isn’t balanced correctly, it is more likely to flip over on the road.
Tips for Preventing a Shifting Load
When loading a box truck, the loaders must be aware of how heavy the load is, and the overall weight distribution of the load in the box or trailer. Stacking loads higher near the cab is a common mistake. Uneven stacking could put too much weight on the front axle. The front axle typically has about half the gross axle weight rating of the rear axle.
Try to keep the load flat and even, and then make sure it is adequately secured. Pallets can shift easily on the road if they’re not strapped down, shrink-wrapped and centered. Always consider how every pallet and box will be contained while the truck is in motion. If the load shifts on the road and the truck is taking a curve, that truck and driver could require truck accident recovery. Contribute to the safety of the driver and everyone else on the road with careful, proper loading before the truck even pulls out of the lot.
