Cement Truck Accidents
Cement or concrete trucks are used to transport wet cement for construction. These trucks are massive and can weigh approximately 30,000 pounds when empty and can carry an additional 40,000 pounds when transporting cement. These mixer trucks are notably unstable because of the odd distribution of weight carried in the barrel. As a result, rollover accidents are not uncommon. Given the weight and force involved in cement truck accidents, victims can suffer catastrophic injuries or death.
Concrete mixer trucks may collide with other vehicles in a number of circumstances and for several reasons, especially driver error. If you or someone close to you has been hurt in a cement truck accident, the attorneys at VanDerGinst Law can get the compensation you deserve to address the damages that have been sustained.
Reasons Concrete Truck Accidents Occur
Cement mixer truck collisions can be caused by the negligent actions of the truck driver, trucking company, or other parties. Distracted driving, intoxication, improper truck maintenance, and improper loading are a few causes. But the unique characteristics of cement trucks present other dangers. These include:
- Rollovers. Accidents with concrete mixer trucks are usually due to rollovers or collisions. Concrete trucks have a higher center of gravity than other commercial trucks. Therefore, rollover accidents are common even when the cement truck is has slowed to turn and is traveling at less than 10 miles per hour. Most motorists do not realize that a cement truck that is turning can flip over. So, a crash can happen before there is time to get out of the way.
- Inexperience. When a cement trucker lacks experience or training, a catastrophic truck accident is much more likely. A cement truck driver must be trained and experienced to maneuver a massive vehicle through navigating a turn, handling shifting loads, and being alert to road conditions and other vehicles. But statistical evidence and experts indicate that more and more concrete truck drivers are younger and inexperienced and not as committed to traffic safety as their more experienced colleagues.
- Speeding. Cement can harden in a mixer within an hour of being loaded. Because a driver has a short period of time to deliver a load before the cement inside hardens, they may speed to make a faster delivery. Due to its’ weight and it takes a cement truck longer to slow or stop at faster speeds. Plus, the shifting or unbalanced load can make a rollover much more possible at higher speeds.
- Distracted driving: According to the American Contractors Insurance Group, distracted driving is becoming a risk due to cement truck operators’ lack of focus.
- Uneven roads: Unlike long-haul truckers, concrete truck drivers traverse a lot of construction areas where the road are dense or uneven, or do not exist as all. This makes the possibility of rollovers and other accidents much more likely.
- Shifting loads: When a cement truck is improperly loaded, the truck driver may lose control, and the cement truck can flip or rollover.
- Mismanaged construction site: Construction sites, where concrete trucks often travel, or often mismanaged or completely unsupervised with respect to vehicle traffic. This can lead to concrete truck accidents. When this happens, the construction company may also be liable for compensation to injured victims.