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Unsecured Loads Kill 440 Every Year — Make Sure You’re Not One Of Them

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Many in the trucking community were outraged last month when a van spilled mattresses onto the New Jersey Turnpike, causing a crash that killed a tanker truck driver.

Tanker Truck Driver’s Death a Reminder About the Dangers of Unsecured Loads

The incident brought attention to the serious dangers caused by unsecured loads and raised questions about legal accountability for the crashes that they cause.

A government study shows that crashes caused by unsecured loads are more prevalent than most people would suspect. According to the study, there are 51,000 unsecured load incidents per year. Additionally, 10,000 people are hurt and 440 are killed every year by unsecured loads.

Tips For Driving Around Potentially Dangerous Loads

  1. Maintain plenty of space between your truck and the vehicle hauling a questionable load.
  2. Plan an escape route if the load comes loose.
  3. Keep calm if you have to make a sudden move — avoid slamming on the brakes or yanking on your wheel.
  4. Remember that you might be better off hitting the object head on than swerving and risking losing control of your truck.
  5. Even if you don’t hit anything, call 911 to report road debris — you might just save a life.

Sources:
Fox 9
Department of Transportation
Insurance.com

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