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Load securement might be a factor in a semitruck crash

Semitruck drivers have to ensure that the cargo they are carrying is secured in the proper manner. Even if the load is secured by someone else at the start of the haul, the trucker still has to check the load periodically.

When a load isn’t secured properly, there is a chance that it could shift while the tractor-trailer is in motion. This could lead to an accident. When this occurs, the securement is going to be at the center of the investigation.

There are many different options that truckers have to secure loads. Typically, the method that is used depends on the type of cargo and what is available. On flatbed trailers, the most common type of securement tool is the strap. Straps hold the load down to the trailer so that the load doesn’t move. They can be used along with blocks and chocks to keep items from moving around.

The location of the straps on the cargo and the location of the cargo on the trailer are subject to specific rules. For example, most cargo will be placed at the front of the trailer or in the center of the trailer. You likely won’t see cargo placed only at the rear of the trailer because of weight only on the rear of the trailer could impact how the trucker controls the vehicle.

If you are injured by a semitruck crash that has to do with an improperly secured load, you might choose to seek compensation. Your claim may include information about why you think the cargo wasn’t properly secured. Knowing the cargo securement regulations could help you in this case.

Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Driver’s Handbook on Cargo Securement – Chapter 2: General Cargo Securement Requirements,” accessed June 09, 2017

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