The heavy loads that truckers transport around the country can be a hazard to everyone who is sharing the roadway with the semitruck. This is especially true if the load isn’t properly secured. An unsecured load can go careening off of the truck and slam into other vehicles or it can crash into the roadway and introduce an obstacle that could cause accidents.
Truckers have to ensure that the method they use for securing cargo meets federal standards. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has published regulations that dictate the methods that cargo securement must occur.
One thing that is noted in these regulations is that tiedowns have to be secure to the truck in a manner that prevents them from coming undone while the vehicle is transporting the goods. This includes securement in a manner that prevents loosening. The trucker must also be sure to secure the tiedowns in a manner and location that won’t lead to the tiedowns being cut.
The regulations also require that items that could roll must be secured with cocks, a cradle, wedges or other methods that will prevent them from rolling when shifted. All of these must be used in specific manners to decrease the chance of the rolling objects becoming loose.
People who are injured by cargo that wasn’t secured properly might decide to hold the trucker and motor carrier responsible for the incident. Through a semitruck accident lawsuit, it is possible to do this. Finding evidence regarding how the load was secured and comparing it to the regulations could help you to determine if improper securement contributed to the accident.
Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Cargo Securement Rules,” accessed Nov. 03, 2016