The following are the common causes of jackknife accidents:
- Speeding – Commercial semi-trucks and tractor trailers are massive in size and weight, which can be difficult to stop at high speeds. However, when a speeding truck suddenly hits the brakes, the weight of the cargo can cause the truck to jackknife.
- Inadequate brake adjustment and maintenance – When the brakes on a truck aren’t properly maintained or adjusted, the axles can lock up when a trucker brakes hard. When a truck is dragging a trailer with locked brakes, the trailer will move to the side of the cab.
- Driver inexperience – When an inexperienced trucker encounters a challenging or unexpected road condition, he/she will often panic or fail to properly react. For instance, if a trucker switches lanes too quickly, the cargo may shift and cause the driver to lose control of the truck.
- Drunk or fatigued driving – Being intoxicated or drowsy can lower a trucker’s reaction time and hinders their judgment. Any form of impairment can lead to a jackknife accident.
- Road conditions – When the roads are slippery, trucks can lose traction and slide. Due to the momentum of the slide, the trucker cannot regain control of the vehicle, resulting in a jackknife accident.
The aftermath of a jackknife accident can be devastating. Victims driving passenger vehicles typically suffer catastrophic and fatal injuries since a truck’s cargo can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury in a jackknife accident in Indianapolis, contact Crossen Law Firm today at (317) 401-8626 and request a free case review.
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