Rollover Trucking Accidents

While any vehicle can roll over under the right circumstances, those with a higher center of gravity—such as trucks, vans, and SUVs—are much more susceptible. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle rollovers accounted for just 3 percent of the 11 million traffic accidents reported in 2002. However, rollover accidents accounted for 33 percent of traffic fatalities that year. Typical injuries resulting from rollovers include head injuries, paralysis, spinal cord injury, brain injury, and wrongful death.

Trucking rollover accidents typically occur at exit and entrance ramps when a driver misjudges the sharpness of a ramp curve and enters it an excessive speed. Other possible contributing factors to a rollover semi-truck accident include:

Driver Factors

• Not aware of tractor / trailer limitations
• Steered truck onto soft shoulder
• Drifted off the road and abruptly overcompensated
• Was impaired (fatigue, alcohol, drugs)
• Was reckless

Vehicle Factors

• Unusually top-heavy load
• Improper cargo distribution
• Load shift
• Collapsed suspension
• Under-inflated tires
• Poor brake performance

Highway Factors

• Speed advisory
• Superelevation (banking)
• Transition curvature
• Shoulder condition
• Weather

If you or a loved one is the victim of a rollover semi-truck accident, contact the Foley Law Firm. Serving rollover accident victims in Milford, Scranton, Stroudsburg, Wilkes-Barre, and northeastern Pennsylvania, a trucking and semi-truck accident lawyer at our firm is experienced and knowledgeable. Our attorneys can help you receive the compensation to which you are entitled.