Large commercial trucks carry the cargo that keeps the economy running but they also pose serious dangers to others on the road. Tractor-trailers and semi-trucks that are overloaded or that carry improperly secured loads run a higher risk of their cargo flying off and striking or creating obstacles to the safe operation of other vehicles on the road, with resulting serious injuries and death.

Cargo that falls from trucks becomes road debris. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported that 200,000 debris-related crashes between 2011 and 2014 caused approximately 39,000 injuries and 500 fatalities. The report estimated that truck cargoes were the sources of debris in at least two thirds of these accidents, and improperly secured loads from 18-wheelers and other large trucks accounted for most of the crashes.

Cars and other smaller vehicles can be easily crushed by something heavy falling off the bed of a truck, but cargo does not have to be weighty to cause serious damage. The U.S. Department of Transportation says that an object weighing just 20 pounds falling off a vehicle at 55 miles per hour will deliver a striking force of half a ton.

Because of the dangers associated with items falling from trucks, there are strict regulations governing how cargo must be secured. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) has imposed these Cargo Securement Rules:

• Cargo must be able to withstand acceleration and deceleration in all directions.
• Cargo must be fully immobilized or secured within the vehicle by structures of adequate strength.
• Proper tiedowns, shoring bars and dunnage bags (inflatable bags that fill space between pieces of cargo) must be used.
• Chocks, wedges or other means must be employed to restrain cargo that could roll.
• Tiedowns must be attached in a manner that prevents them from coming loose, releasing or being sliced by cargo or the trailer itself.

In a truck accident scenario involving falling cargo or debris, one of more persons or entities could bear liability:

• The truck driver, for failing to make sure the load was secure and compliant with all applicable regulations.
• The trucking company, for failing to properly train drivers on how to secure loads.
• The manufacturer of a defective product, such the maker of a tiedown strap that fails to secure the cargo.

If you were injured in a crash involving debris falling from a truck in Connecticut, reach out to the lawyers of Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. We have extensive experience in truck accident litigation and will work diligently to obtain the compensation you deserve. Call 203-745-0942 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers in Hamden or East Haven.