(845) 802-0047One of the more dangerous hazards of commercial vehicles is when cargo is spilled onto the roadway. This could easily cause a New York trucking accident when improperly secured or loaded cargo scatters across a roadway. This is particularly true on fast-moving highways like thruways and interstates. Cargo that sprays across a roadway can create several hazards which result in serious or fatal crashes due to the spillage of contents from trucks.
There are three main hazards caused by the spillage of contents from commercial vehicles. These include the following:
First: Collision hazards if the cargo is larger and poses a risk of injuring a motorist if a vehicle collides with it. This could be heavy boxes, rocks, or other materials that could cause significant damage to vehicles.
Second: Vehicles losing control from debris like peddles, gravel, dirt, or other materials which could cause vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed to lose control.
Third: Shrapnel that is launched off a commercial vehicle and into other vehicles. New York law requires all vehicles to cover all cargo to avoid spray piecing from dispersing out the back of the vehicle. This is because some legislative history when this law was passed demonstrated that even small pebbles could hit a trailing vehicle with the impact of a bullet. This is an obvious and dangerous risk to other vehicles in the wake of spilled cargo.
Common Causes of New York Trucking Accidents Caused by a Truck’s Spillage of Contents
There are many possible causes of a commercial truck’s spillage of contents on a roadway which could result in New York trucking accidents. This includes many causes that are careless, reckless, and downright negligent. These errors and negligence could be caused by the truck driver or by the trucking companies, usually both. This is because a truck driver’s negligence is imputed on the trucking company through the doctrine of respondeat superior, which means the employer is liable for the actions of the employees.
Some of the most common causes of New York trucking accidents caused by a commercial vehicle spilling contents onto a roadway include the following:
- Improperly securing cargo;
- Speeding;
- Taking too hard of a turn or too fast of a turn;
- Failing to cover cargo;
- Defective materials used to tie down cargo or to secure cargo;
- Using the improper vehicle to transport cargo;
- Stopping short;
- Wide turns; and
- Other reckless conduct.
Victims Injured in New York Trucking Accidents Caused by a Truck’s Spillage of Contents Should Call Our Law Firm
Commercial vehicles are designed to transport cargo. When they fail at this basic precept by spilling cargo across a roadway, it could result in very serious personal injuries or the wrongful death of innocent people. This includes injuries such as broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, spinal cord injuries, and death.
Both New York law and federal regulations impose burdens on commercial truck drivers and trucking companies, but when these trucking crashes occur which result in these injuries, personal injury victims and their families have certain rights to protect. This is why victims need to call our New York trucking accident lawyer for a FREE consultation to learn how our compassionate and experienced team can protect those rights and obtain the compensation that they deserve.