The Dangers of Jackknife Accidents
I’m Ed Smith, a Lincoln truck accident lawyer. Jackknifing occurs when the trailer being pulled by a big truck moves at a faster rate than the cab. As the trailer swivels around, it resembles a jackknife with its 90-degree angle. Unfortunately, other motorists who share the road with a jackknifing truck can suffer serious injuries as a result.
What Causes a Big Truck to Jackknife?
The driver locks the wrong brakes in an emergency situation. Truck drivers have the option of using three different sets of brakes on a big truck. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the air brakes of a large truck include:
- Service brakes, which are used during normal driving
- Emergency brakes, which employ both service and parking brakes during emergencies where brake failure is present
- Parking brakes that are applied when the vehicle is stopped
- Trailer brakes: In California trailers dating from 1982, must have air brakes installed on each of the wheels
Reasons for Jackknifing Accidents
A trailer being pulled by a cab can start to swing around for multiple reasons.
- The driver has to make an emergency stop,
- Weather conditions such as ice, snow or wet pavement contribute to the trailer swinging around.
- The driver is forced to swerve to avoid an accident or impediment in the road.
- The driver goes around a curve at too fast a speed. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, by increasing speed by 10 mph, the odds of jackknifing increase 49 percent.
Incidence of Jackknife Accidents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that 193 fatalities occurred in 2014 due to accidents involving articulated vehicles. Injuries were estimated to be around 1,000. Although this is a small percentage compared to the total number of accidents involving large trucks, injuries can be serious. Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and other injuries such as bone fractures and abdominal trauma are possible results.
Driver Options for Stopping in an Emergency Situation
Basically, a truck driver has three options to stop his vehicle in an emergency or using another driving maneuver to avoid jackknifing. He can either lock the brakes for the steering axle, lock them for the trailer or lock them for the drive axles. While locking the steering axle may be an option, the driver loses the ability to steer. The driver may choose to lock the trailer axles, which is a poor choice. Locking the trailer axles means the driver will have no control over direction. A jackknife is likely to happen in this situation. By locking the drive axles, the truck may remain in control for a short time. However, if the truck is in a slide for long, it will jackknife. The best way to avoid jackknifing is to increase speed, which can cause the trailer to come back into line and stabilize. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible.
Lincoln CA Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Lincoln CA truck accident lawyer. An accident with a big truck can cause severe injuries. If you or a family member has been injured by a negligent truck driver, call me at (916) 921-6400. My advice is free of charge and friendly. Toll free, call (800) 404-5400. I also have an online contact form on my website, AutoAccident.com, which is easy to use and convenient.
For 35 years, I have defended the rights of the injured in Lincoln and Northern California with their catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims.
I hold membership in the forum, Million Dollar Advocates. It allows membership to only those attorneys who win $1 million or more for clients.
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Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/autobahn-accident-germany-car-road-837643/
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