How Inexperienced Truck Drivers Lead to Rollovers in Athens

The city of Athens is home to several interstates, such as the I-85 and the I-285, which happen to be lifelines for commerce, connecting the bustling Port of Savannah to the rest of the country. Add to that the growth of e-commerce and the increasing demand for freight transport, and it’s no surprise that Georgia’s highways are packed with commercial trucks at nearly all hours of the day.

But with more trucks comes more risk, and one of the biggest dangers on these roads is inexperienced truck drivers. Truck rollovers are some of the most catastrophic accidents that can occur on the road, and a good number of them that we see each year had rookie drivers behind the wheels.

Another thing these accidents had in common was the presence and determination of Athens truck rollover accident lawyers, who are always willing to hold the guilty party accountable and help victims get the compensation that can help them recover from their losses.

How Lack of Experience Leads to Rollovers

Here’s how inexperience leads to rollovers:

Speeding and poor judgment of road conditions

Many inexperienced drivers don’t fully understand how long it takes to slow down or maneuver a truck safely. When a truck is moving too fast, it becomes much easier for it to tip over.

Speeding while making a turn, going too fast down a steep hill, or failing to adjust to road conditions (like rain or heavy traffic) can all lead to a disastrous rollover.

Distracted driving

Truck drivers often travel long distances, and fatigue can set in. A moment of distraction can be enough to cause a driver to lose control. Unlike a car, a semi-truck cannot make quick corrections without risking instability, and one wrong move can send the truck rolling over, crushing anything in its path.

Improperly secured cargo

Inexperienced drivers may not know how to properly load and secure their cargo. When cargo shifts suddenly due to improper weight distribution, it can throw the truck off balance, leading to a rollover. This is particularly dangerous on highways where sudden stops and turns are common.

Lack of knowledge about the truck’s capabilities

Commercial trucks have unique handling characteristics. A driver who isn’t familiar with their truck’s braking system, turning radius, or weight limitations may make poor decisions on the road.

For example, slamming on the brakes too hard can cause a trailer to swing out, leading to a jackknife accident or rollover.

Why This Is an Issue in Georgia

Georgia’s status as a transportation hub means that trucking companies are always looking for new drivers. While there are federal regulations that set training standards, some companies cut corners, putting undertrained drivers on the road too quickly.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has strict rules in place, but the demand for truck drivers often leads to relaxed enforcement.

Recently, the FMCSA denied requests from two truck driving schools that wanted to allow truckers with less than two years of experience to train new drivers. The reason being that the lack of experience behind the wheel has been directly linked to increased accident rates.

Truck drivers with less experience are far more likely to be involved in serious accidents than those who have been driving for years.

Conclusion

Trucking is not as simple as driving a car. These massive vehicles require skill, precision, and an understanding of their weight distribution, braking systems, and blind spots. Unfortunately, when trucking companies hire inexperienced drivers, they often put people on the road who lack the training to handle these machines safely.

Trucking companies need to take responsibility for ensuring that their drivers have adequate training and experience before they’re allowed to operate massive commercial vehicles on busy highways.

More enforcement of existing regulations, including federal hours-of-service rules (which prevent drivers from driving too long without rest), could also reduce the risk of fatigue-related rollovers.

By: Chris Bates