Trucking companies have a responsibility to comply with a raft of federal regulations. These include rules on properly securing loads so as trucks and the material they are carrying do not pose a danger to other road users.
Recently the importance of securing a load was demonstrated in South Carolina when an unsecured sofa came off the back of a truck, causing an accident between two charter buses.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol said a driver was fined for an unsecured sofa that came off the back of his truck causing the accident. A driver or a trucking company can also be liable in a personal injury action for those who were injured in an accident caused by an obstruction in the road.
Lance Cpl David Jones said around 9 a.m. on March 28, a sofa in the middle of I-20 East caused a charter bus to swerve to avoid it. Another bus behind it also swerved to miss the couch. It rear-ended the bus in front.
WLTX19 reported on how a second bus was carrying members of University of South Carolina's Beta Theta Pi fraternity and their guests. Troopers said eight people were hospitalized. They went to the hospital for stitches and x-rays, media reports stated.
Jones said state troopers later found the truck while directing traffic into the Carolina Cup. The driver had a seat cushion that matched the sofa that was found in the road.
State police said the truck driver rather than the bus drivers were at fault for the crash. Investigators said drivers who have large objects in your truck or on top of your car, should be sure to have them securely fastened.
You should fasten loads securely whether you are a commercial truck driver or you have items in the back of a pick-up truck. However, there are specific federal rules that relate to commercial trucking because these vehicles often cross state lines.
In addition to relevant state laws and guidelines, these federal guidelines and regulations apply to almost all aspects of the commercial trucking business. There are strict rules as to rest periods for drivers as well as safety equipment, and load measurements and balancing requirements. When a tractor trailer is improperly loaded it may become unstable and a danger to other road users.
If you are hurt by debris from a truck or a falling load, you may have grounds to file a claim against the driver, the owner of the truck, a trucking company, the company that loaded the truck and the broker or agent who arranged the transportation.
Our personal injury lawyers have been holding negligent truckers accountable for many years in South Carolina. Call us at 803.748.9990.