You can probably imagine a dozen scenarios in which a commercial truck could cause a collision with your smaller vehicle. There could be issues with the vehicle’s brakes or inclement weather conditions. The possibilities are nearly endless.

You probably watch carefully for signs of driver misconduct on the road, but you should also consider that cargo being hauled on a tractor-trailer could pose a serious danger. A truck driver can drive a truck correctly and still end up in a wreck. Crashes can happen when a shipper improperly loads a trailer.

Commercial trailers affect how a vehicle functions

The process of loading a trailer for overland transportation is safety-critical. Companies have to properly secure items in the back of a trailer so that they don’t come loose and break in transit. But that’s not all. They also have to ensure that items don’t shift when the driver turns or goes around curves.

If they fail to take those issues into consideration, the contents of the truck could move unexpectedly when the driver maneuvers, potentially leading to a major collision after they lose control.  Every driver of a commercial vehicle has an obligation to assure that the cargo he/she is hauling has been properly secured before driving onto the highway. Plus, there are special rules that apply to securement of cargo such as logs, metal coils, paper rolls, automobiles and heavy equipment.

While it’s true that truck drivers need to check the cargo to ensure that it is safe to travel, people affected by a commercial vehicle wreck may have the option of holding the transportation company or the shipper responsible for the crash where they improperly loaded a trailer.