The term “jackknife” refers to the act of a trailer, truck, or any vehicle towing a trailer, swinging out at an angle. The trailer and cab of the truck may jackknife at different levels of severity, and a jackknifing accident can cause multiple lanes of traffic to be blocked. In addition to a potentially hazardous situation, jackknifing accidents can be extremely difficult to correct.
A jackknife accident usually occurs in a place where other vehicles are not. The truck may be pulling a heavy trailer, which could cause it to roll over. This can be dangerous for pedestrians and other drivers. A semi truck is already dangerous, so a collision with one could cause catastrophic injuries, and even fatalities. In Texas, jackknife accidents are the number one cause of semi-truck accidents.
Another cause of jackknifing accidents is faulty braking systems and poor vehicle management. In the latter case, the driver may have to brake faster than necessary. This could lock up the truck’s axles. This will cause the truck to jackknife and swing out of control. This is particularly dangerous for trucks with trailers. Even though there is less risk of jackknifing accidents with a trailer, empty trailers have the potential to cause a jackknife accident.
What Happens When a Truck Jackknifes?
A jackknifed truck is a potentially disastrous accident that occurs when a large commercial vehicle suddenly stops and flies across the road. This can block multiple lanes of traffic and cause deadly multi-car pileups. Jackknifing can also occur due to poor road conditions such as icy or wet weather. Lastly, the trucker’s erratic behavior can lead to a sudden stop, blocking other vehicles behind him.
When a commercial truck suddenly brakes, the trailer can swing outward. The momentum of the trailer causes the truck to jackknife and crash. This may be a devastating accident, resulting in serious injuries or even death for both drivers and passengers. If this happens to you or someone else, you may be entitled to compensation. Knowing how a jackknife occurs can help you identify potentially dangerous situations and avoid being involved in a truck accident.
Once the truck has jackknifed, the trailer attaching to it will also swing out. The trailer will be pushed toward the front vehicle. In such a situation, momentum cannot be controlled, causing the rig to swing sideways. The trailer swing is just as dangerous as the jackknifing of a truck. A skilled driver will quickly recover control of the vehicle.
Why is It Called Jackknifing?
A trucker’s mistake can cause him to jackknife. In most cases, this occurs due to the negligent actions of the truck driver. If the driver speeds, he loses control and ends up swinging out of control around a curve, skidding, or going into a spin. If the driver is speeding or under the influence, he may not notice that the trailer is slipping out of sync with the truck, causing the truck to jackknife.
Trucks weigh over 80,000 pounds and can pull a 28-foot double trailer on the National Highway System. The consequences of a jackknife truck accident can be devastating, resulting in a multi-vehicle pileup, catastrophic casualties, and countless other injuries. Jackknifing accidents are the deadliest type of truck accident and are the cause of nearly five percent of all crashes involving a semi.
This type of truck accident is a major headache for motorists, who are already dealing with a hectic day at work. A jackknife accident can cause multiple car accidents, leaving several drivers and pedestrians injured. If a jackknife happens on the interstate, the driver must immediately stop the truck, otherwise he may cause catastrophic damage to the other cars on the road.
What Causes a Jack Knife?
Accidents involving jackknifes happen all the time. In fact, they account for a large percentage of truck accidents every year. In the United States alone, jackknife accidents led to 4,800 fatalities in 2017. This is not an uncommon occurrence, though. Many factors can increase the risk, including high speeds, poor road conditions, and negligent motorists.
Truckers who are not familiar with the phenomenon of jackknifing can cause a jackknife accident by failing to brake in time. When a trucker suddenly stops, his trailer cannot. This lack of friction causes the semi to fishtail and swing outward. The resulting truck jackknife accident can cause serious injuries and even fatalities to other drivers and pedestrians.
Generally speaking, a jackknife accident occurs when the front of the truck stops moving in unison with the trailer. This occurs when the weight of the trailer outweighs the force of the truck pulling it. If the truck and trailer are both straight, the risk is minimized. However, the trailer itself may cause a jackknife incident if it is moving in a crooked manner.
How Do You Recover From Jackknife?
A jackknife accident happens when part of the truck loses traction. It is often a combination of the tractor and trailer hitched together. The tractor tires begin to skid first, and the momentum of the trailer causes the cab to fold. This type of accident requires immediate medical attention for victims. The following are steps to follow in the aftermath of a jackknife accident.
Traumatic injuries and deaths are common during a jackknife accident. Not only can the truck driver sustain serious injuries, but the occupants of nearby vehicles can be thrown from their cars. Head injuries commonly occur as the occupants are ejected from their vehicles or strike objects inside. Skull fractures, lacerations, and brain injuries are common, and even a few minor injuries can be life-threatening.
Although you are able to avoid a jackknife accident, it is highly recommended that you hire a truck accident attorney. An attorney can analyze the circumstances surrounding the accident, as well as identify who may be responsible. An attorney can negotiate with insurance adjusters and other liable defendants on your behalf. Hiring a truck accident attorney will ease your mind and ensure you receive compensation that is fair.
What are the Two Types of Jackknife?
A jackknife truck accident occurs when the trailer of a truck swings out of alignment with the cab, causing the cab to stop suddenly. Because the trailer isn’t moving at the same time, it will swing out to the side of the truck, crushing any cars below. Many people are killed and injured in jackknife truck accidents, but the truck driver isn’t always at fault. A trucker can be negligent in braking or vehicle management, or the trucker can simply not notice the hazard.
Trucks cannot stop as quickly as passenger vehicles do. Their trailer does not have brakes, and abrupt braking can cause the truck to jackknife. If the cab isn’t slowing down enough, the trailer can skid sideways and cause the cab to hit the trailer. The driver will usually have no idea that the trailer is moving so rapidly that it could cause the cab to jackknife.
What is Jack Knifing Most Likely to Occur?
Accidents involving large trucks can result in severe injuries and damage, and jackknifing is one of the deadliest scenarios in truck crashes. A jackknife occurs when the trailer behind a tractor loses traction on a slick road, and it causes the entire vehicle to slide in a V-shape. The main reasons for jackknifing include a combination of factors, including a lack of traction on a slippery road, or a lockup of the rear wheels.
Many truck accidents are caused by slick roads, and jackknifing is especially common in semi-trucks. Trucks often skid when they lose traction, and they can become tipped over by other vehicles. While inclement weather is often the cause of a jackknife accident, it is also a common result of drivers going too fast for the conditions. This is why it’s so important for truck drivers to slow down in slick roads.
While many accidents involving large trucks are minor, they still are deadly. Trucks that are ill-equipped to handle heavy traffic can easily lose control and jackknife, crashing into other vehicles. Understanding how jackknifing occurs and how it’s caused will help you prevent it. The best way to prevent a jackknife is to maintain a low center of gravity.
How Many Types of Jackknife are There?
Jackknife accidents can occur in any semi-truck, but they are most likely to occur when the driver suddenly and abruptly brakes. Usually this is to avoid hitting another car or a piece of road debris. The combination of speed and weight can cause the trailer to swing out of control and crash into the cab. The result is devastating damage, often involving serious personal injury.
A number of factors can cause a truck to jackknife, but the most common reason is improper braking. Large commercial trucks tend to have more sophisticated braking systems than passenger vehicles. When a driver fails to stop properly, the wheels lock up and the truck will skid. At high speed, a jackknifed truck will take out any other cars on the road, and it can even lead to multi-car collisions. In addition to causing massive property damage, jackknifing has crushed cars in the road and damaged overpasses.
A jackknife accident is a very serious and deadly accident. A semi-truck folds in on itself at a 90-degree angle. This causes both the trailer and cab to roll over and cause a serious crash. Approximately 10% of fatalities in a semi-truck are attributed to jackknife crashes, compared to just four percent for non-truck occupants. And although they are relatively rare, they happen frequently, and they are very serious.
Learn More Here:
3.) Best Trucks