Tractor-Trailer Rolls Over After Colliding With Truck Parked on Shoulder
Illinois – April 23, 2018 (WSIL TV) According to a report from WSIL TV, all lanes of I-57 North have been reopened after two separate accidents required the road to be closed for some time. The first accident happened when one tractor-trailer hit a tractor-trailer that was parked on the shoulder, and then flipped over a guardrail and landed in a ditch.
The driver of the parked semi-truck did not get hurt, even though he was in his vehicle at the time of the accident. The driver of the semi-trailer that caused the crash did get injured and was transported to a hospital for treatment. He has been ticketed for driving on the shoulder.
Some tractor-trailer rollover accidents happen for the same reasons that many passenger vehicle rollovers happen, such as excessive speed, alcohol use, distracted driving, or drowsy driving. Other times, semi-trailers roll over because their size and shape make them more likely to roll over than other types of vehicles. Tractor-trailers have a high center of gravity, so as a tractor-trailer passes through a curve, it leans to one side. Since a tractor-trailer is made up of two parts, the cab and the trailer, it is possible that the cab will remain level even as the trailer leans to one side. If the trailer leans too far to one side, it can roll over. Sometimes, the movement of the truck along the road causes the trailer to lean to one side or the other, and at other times, a shifting load within the trailer can cause the trailer to lean or lurch to one side. When a driver must react suddenly to an unanticipated movement, they may accidentally overcorrect, causing the semi-trailer to roll over.