Cargo tankers are frequently seen on our nation’s roads hauling everything from chemicals and fuel to milk and food byproducts. When cars come into contact with these tankers, there can be serious accidents. Also, the tankers themselves can be the subject of a serious accident when they rollover.
One myth that some people hold, is that these heavy weight trucks rollover more while entering and exiting freeway and highway ramps. This may be seen as an issue, because the tankers have to slow down, then, speed up to merge into traffic. It might surprise people to know that the entrance and exit ramps are not considered the most dangerous place for a cargo tanker to experience a rollover accident. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, only 7% of cargo tankers actually rollover while entering or exiting highway ramps. There is more of a chance that a cargo tanker rollover will occur while the tanker is on a straight roadway.
Rollovers with tankers often occur when a driver is known to have tried to over correct an action, or perilous driving situation that might be encountered, while on the road. An example of this happens when the driver’s wheel drops off of the surface of the road. Despite the driver’s past training on how to deal with this situation, the driver quite possibly may panic, and swerve too quickly to get back onto the road. Some people have the natural inclination to try to quickly get back onto a road if the car veers off to the side. In this case, the driver will have over corrected the maneuver to come back to the road, and will be subject to rolling the rig over as a result.
Some roadways have signs that tell tankers that the road is susceptible to rollovers and that they should be extremely careful in these areas. These signs do help to alert tanker and all heavy equipment drivers of the hazards of the roads. But there is no substitute for remaining focused on the job at hand and paying attention, when on a hazardous stretch of highway.
The fact is, over 90% of tanker rollovers occur on roads that have completely dry surfaces. And in that case, on dry road surfaces, over 50% of cargo tank rollovers do occur when the driver leaves the road, as mentioned above. These accidents occur with new drivers as well as veteran drivers who have been behind the wheel for more than ten years. Well over half of the accidents involving rollovers are with drivers who have the most experience. And three-quarters of the accidents involve a driver error as the result of the loss. These facts and figures show interesting statistics regarding the truth about rollovers for cargo tankers.
If you have been involved in an accident with a cargo tanker, you will want to talk to an expert who knows the laws and how to apply them. Call us at the law offices of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or email us at www.ledgerlaw.com.
