Jackknife Accidents
We rely on trucks and big rigs to get us our goods—food, water, gas, packages, products, and more—but we often fail to think about the actual process involved in getting these goods from Point A to Point B. The fact of the matter is that trucks are driven by men and women, and no matter how experienced or qualified these drivers are, they are still human, and prone to error, especially when it comes to operating such large vehicles over long stretches of highway. Jackknifing is one truck driving risk that can cause serious damage to the truck and driver, as well as anyone else who happens to be sharing the road. Jackknifing is the term used to refer to any instance where an 18-wheeler truck or semi-tractor trailer skids on the road, and causes the trailer or back portion of the truck to swing out on one side—similar to the angle that a knife forms between the blade and the handle. A jackknifed truck can very easily roll over across the highway, wreaking havoc on any other cars in its path. What Causes Jackknifing? When the drive wheels on a truck lock up, and the truck is approaching a particularly wet or slippery spot on the road, the driver can lose control of the trailer. The trailer will continue to move forward even though the front of the truck is slowing down, and will swing out to the side. If this is about to happen, the truck driver can […]