Truck Jackknife Accidents May Be More Common Than You Think

Trying to navigate Houston's freeway system can confuse even the best GPS. From tollways to freeways, HOV lanes, and interstates, Houston has a dizzying number of roads running in and around Bayou City. Adding to the confusion is the bumper-to-bumper traffic occurring at least twice a day.

Drivers can slam on the brakes without warning, and accidents often involving trucks are common. Did you know that 10% of truck accident fatalities are caused by jackknife accidents? While this isn't the only type of accident a truck can be involved in, it's the most dangerous.

What Does It Mean if a Truck Jackknifes

When a truck jackknifes, think of semis and 18-wheelers, the trailer swings out from behind the cab. The position of the trailer and cab forms an acute angle that resembles a pocket knife when it's not completely folded.

The trailer typically swings out into a least one traffic lane, sometimes two, depending on lane width. Why is this type of truck accident so dangerous? Not only is the driver losing control of the truck, but the swinging trailer can sweep up other vehicles in the affected lanes. Sometimes, the cars are crushed between the trailer and truck cab.

A frightening statistic about jackknife truck accidents: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states this is the most common type of non-collision accident resulting in fatalities.

What Causes a Truck Jackknife Accident

A truck can jackknife for a variety of reasons. The truck driver may be forced to slam on their brakes suddenly.

Even though the trailer is connected to the cab's braking system, there's still momentum to consider. If the cab stops suddenly, the trailer can keep rolling along. The sudden braking action can send the trailer swinging out into nearby traffic lanes. Locking the wheels on a large truck can have the same results.

Other common reasons a truck can jackknife include:

• Poor and dangerous weather conditions. Slick roads can cause the trailer to swing out. Heavy wind gusts can also cause a truck to jackknife.

• Equipment malfunction like faulty brakes

• Improperly secured cargo. Sometimes, a shift in cargo weight can send the trailer skidding out of its lane.

Debris on the road is another contributing factor. Road hazards can cause either the cab, trailer, or both to lose control resulting in a jackknife accident.

Determining Liability in a Truck Jackknife Accident

If you're injured in an accident involving a jackknifed truck, you may be able to recover some or all of your damages. Don't forget, that Texas is a modified comparative negligence state, and this means you can't be found to be more than 51% responsible for the accident.

Along with proving negligence, you also need to know who's responsible for your accident. In some cases, it's the truck driver but this doesn't apply in every accident case.

Sometimes, the truck driver isn't the responsible party. Other times, more than one entity is liable for your damages. Yes, this can get a little confusing especially when you simply want compensation for your damages. So, who can be responsible for your jackknife accident?

Truck Drivers

If the truck driver's actions are negligent, they can be held responsible for your accident, and this typically applies when the driver isn't following all road and traffic laws. For example, if the driver is speeding or under the influence.

Sometimes, the driver can be responsible if they've exceeded the legal number of hours they're allowed behind the wheel. However, in this instance, the trucking company or vehicle owner may also be partially responsible since they may have forced the driver to continue working past the legal hour limitation.

Yes, truck drivers can only be behind the wheel for a specific number of hours before they're legally required to take a break. The goal of this law is to prevent truck accidents due to driver fatigue.

Truck Companies/Truck Owners

Not all truck drivers own their rigs. Most are leased through a company or individual owner. The truck driver receives a wage, usually hourly, and the vehicle owner also takes in a percentage of the route's income.

If a trucking company or owner isn't obeying all state and federal safety laws, like requiring drivers to stay on the road longer than legally permitted, they may be liable for the accident.

Sometimes, liability can extend to the vehicle's owner or parent company if the driver is negligent, which falls under the legal theory of supervision. In other words, as the vehicle's owner, they have a legal duty to ensure their drivers are acting reasonably and responsibly.

Truck Parts Manufacturers

Defective truck parts can cause a large truck to lose control and the trailer to jackknife. An example is if a defective tire is installed on either the cab or trailer. The blowout can send the trailer careening sideways.

Faulty brakes are another example. If a malfunctioning part is to blame for the jackknife accident, the parts manufacturer may be the liable party.

Another Vehicle Driver

Some jackknife accidents are caused by another vehicle driver. A driver in front of the truck may slam on their brakes suddenly.

To avoid rolling over the top of the stopping lead vehicle, the semi slams on their brakes—the resulting action can cause the trailer to jackknife. In this scenario, the braking lead driver may be responsible for the accident.

Steps to Take After a Truck Jackknife Accident

Since injuries are typically severe after being involved in a jackknife accident, the only thing you should be thinking about is your health. Seek immediate medical attention. Even if you skipped a trip to the ER, schedule an appointment immediately with your healthcare provider.

Don't talk to anyone about the accident. When it comes to your accident report, keep your answers short and to the point. Don't go into detail, even with the responding authorities. They can get the information they need from witnesses and other involved drivers, and by reconstructing the accident scene.

What you do want to do is contact a personal injury attorney, in particular one familiar with truck accidents. Your attorney can help you establish negligence and determine who's liable for the accident.