Rollovers

In the last week, I noted 4 tractor-trailer rollovers on exit ramps or what I call "tight bends" on roads. They were not weather-related because the roads and surrounding areas were clear and dry. Not knowing any other factors and traveling the same locations often, I have to assume excess speed were the causes for the rollovers. A definite reminder for myself to watch my speed on ramps and tightening turns.

Indeed. Complacency and inattention are the cause of most accidents, rollovers included.

There's nothing to be gained by entering a curve at 45 instead of 25. They may gain a half second, and they may throw away their career, or worse.

Any rollover on an exit/entry ramp will be from going too fast. One big excuse you will often hear is "the load shifted...." BS! IF IT SHIFTED, it was due to high speed coupled with gravity and inertia.

A truck trailer has a higher center of gravity. That means it's easier for a loaded trailer to roll sideways than say, a heavily loaded pickup truck.

And a quick left turn/right turn (an S-curve) like going through a roundabout too quickly is almost guaranteed to roll and end your driving career.

It doesn't take much:
Semi Truck Fails on Roundabout

One tanker driver i know claimed it was cause the ramp was "too narrow" and his tires drifted off the asphault.

he still couldnt understand it was driver error. idiots.

Around me in Chicago there are a lot of container trucks that end up on their side.

I-84 earlier this week. Ice warnings on both sides of this curvy shady area. Tractor was nose down in the ditch.

Around me in Chicago there are a lot of container trucks that end up on their side.

Containers and occasionally a poorly pre loaded flatbed can be an exception. We pick up containers on a regular basis and bring them from the port, unload and reload on to a flatbed. Talking to my terminal manager and some local drivers, there have been several occasions where the load in the container wasn't stabilized properly and collapsed or fell to one side making it unstable. Now, it's still the drivers responsibility to drive safely and responsibly but there are times with containers that circumstances can lead to failure. In regards to pre loaded flatbeds, I've seen it happen with loads of boat and utility trailers which were pre loaded but the dunnage on the trailer failed, causing the load to shift and flip the trailer. I just picked up a load in Iowa last week and another one of our drivers was throwing straps before connecting to the trailer, dunnage failed and 2/3 of the load wound up on the ground. The vast majority of the time, it's driver error but there are occasions where it isn't, albeit rare.

Paper rolls are a very dangerous load. They are loaded on “non skid” mats. TBH the mats are fairly useless. I have seen parent rolls that have worked themselves to one side of the trailer. Usually it is the right side as the road tends to have a slight lean to that side. I have seen people taking a left turn slowly, but due the rolls vibrating towards one side during the trip, you can watch the left of the trailer nearly come off the ground. Just because the trailer is already leaning.

Paper parent rolls are a very dangerous load. They are loaded on “non skid” mats. TBH the mats are fairly useless. I have seen parent rolls that have worked themselves to one side of the trailer. Usually it is the right side as the road tends to have a slight lean to that side. I have seen people taking a left turn slowly, but due the rolls vibrating towards one side during the trip, you can watch the left of the trailer nearly come off the ground. Just because the trailer is already leaning.

Good to know.

I do always try to be at or below the limit posted on the on and off ramps. And everywhere else, for that matter but especially ramps