Do You Need An Austin-Area Truck Accident Attorney?
When a big rig loses its cargo on the highway, the outcome can be tragic. Even small pieces of debris that come loose can fly onto the windshield of an unsuspecting motorist and cause a serious accident. If a truck loses some of its heavy cargo, it may come crashing through the windshield or onto the hood of a trailing vehicle, causing serious and even fatal injuries
Both the truck driver and the trucking company are responsible for inspecting loads before departure to make sure they are properly secured and balanced. A tractor-trailer has a higher chassis than passenger vehicles—especially in the trailer. Therefore, properly balancing the cargo is especially important, because a lop-sided load can make the large vehicle susceptible to rolling over or jack-knifing.
Cargo Securement
Cargo securement standards require the driver to inspect his cargo:
- Before a trip
- In the first 50 miles of travel
- At the beginning of every period of driving
- At three hour (or 150 mile) intervals
If a driver does not properly inspect the cargo in order to identify any loose or off-balanced loads, he or she may be held at fault in the event of an accident. The one exception is if the cargo is sealed or loaded so that inspection is not possible.
If you have been hurt in a truck accident, please contact Austin Truck Accident Lawyers Funk & Associates at 1-888-472-FUNK (3865) to schedule your free consultation. We live and work in Austin, TX and are proud to call Austin our home.
Austin, Texas
Yanni Funk, Attorney at Law
