What are the frequent causes of flatbed truck accidents? Southern California, and the Los Angeles and Southern Orange County areas in particular, are home to substantial truck traffic, many of which are flatbed trucks. Flatbed trucks are used to haul a variety of loads, machinery, equipment or materials. Some flatbeds are pulled separately and may be detached from the cab of the truck, while others are actually welded to the frame of the truck itself.
Detached flatbed trucks come in basically two varieties:
- A standard flatbed mounted above the wheels
- A “Lowboy” where the bed actually sits between the wheel wells much closer to the ground
There are nearly half a million truck accidents in the United States each year. A large percentage of these are injury accidents which have been attributed to flatbed trucks. What are some of the frequent causes of flatbed truck accidents in California?
Injuries in a flatbed truck accident are usually the result of a collision or the shifting of improperly secured cargo. In many cases, the accident is associated directly with the type of cargo the truck is hauling.
Loads which are too heavy for a flatbed or which are improperly secured often create a high center of gravity, which results in the shifting of the load forward or backward or side-to-side during transit. This can ultimately lead to a load becoming loose and even falling into the roadway.
California and federal laws require flatbed truck operators to use a specific process to locate the load. The law directly specifies the process of securing a load and even the type of tie downs to be used and how they must be attached. Flatbed truck operators are required by law to routinely stop to check the security of their loads.
Unfortunately, some of the leading causes of flatbed truck accidents also result in serious injuries or loss of life to other motorists. The experienced truck accident and injury attorneys at The Law Firm of Rivers Morrell have decades of experience as well as the the legal skill, technical knowledge and resources to hold trucking companies and all responsible parties accountable for injuries or a wrongful death which results from a flatbed truck accident.
If you or someone you love has been injured or lost their life in a flatbed truck accident we invite you to review the strong recommendations of our clients and the legal industry and contact us or call 949-305-1400 to speak with one of our experienced attorneys personally for a free consultation.
