How can I roll over my tractor trailer?

I have seen this too. Straight stretch of road, good conditions, Western Express lying perfectly on it's side in the grass, near the slow lane. Probably jerked the wheel hard right then left avoiding a 4 wheeler. 50,000 pound trailer trumps 20,000 pound tractor.

Have also seen them in the medians on their driver's side. Most likely supertrucker trying to pass. Somebody made a mistake, either passee drifting over into fast lane causing supertrucker to get his driver's side tires in the soft rain soaked soil, sinking so many degrees along with a sharp hard turn to starboard causing the flip, or passer went over there on his own.

 

What kind of trailer? Tanker, flatbed, van, refer? That could be an important part of this puzzle. Tankers hauling liquid can roll due to the liquid surging when the trailer starts skidding sideways. Trailers with a high center of gravity, and the load suddenly shifts, again to the trailer's sudden movement.

Or as Injun pointed out, getting blown over in extremely high winds.

 

On flat ground, if a tractor trailer combination is "cut off" by a car, or some other encounter involving a car, often the driver will panic steer while applying the brake. So, jerking the steering wheel at the same time as slamming on the brakes is a good way to roll your truck. The higher center of gravity works against us in those situations.

Trucks are generally more stable than cars as long as the overall platform remains static. When something disrupts the level platform, it becomes unstable. Sometimes, all it takes is the application of a second force to tip the platform completely over. Physics, young Jedi.

Who ever said we would never use physics in real life?

 

I think this could be a very beneficial thread for newbies (and experienced are always learning) to know what NOT to do.. Mostly for the newbies... I mean if newbies know what NOT to do there would be a lot less big truck issues... Even if it was the car that caused it, it could help a drive know what to do when a car cut you off so you lessen the impact of damage...

Defence - I think I remember that one.. I didn't see it I don't think but I do drive the 401 frequently and am on the CB.. When was this again?? I do remember a few times in the past couple months of some bad truck accidents backing up the 401....

I will say lots of factors which are pointed out so far.. Being on a bridge with high winds will flip ya over like you were a piece of paper being blown by a fan... (you know the 2 Skyways by Burlington and St. Catherines) they shut them down when winds are too high...

There is so many variables.. I think it boils down to 3 different headings tho.. STUPIDITY -- MOTHER NATURE -- LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ......

A car cuts you off (stupidity) and you having (lack of knowledge) over corrects hits the soft shoulder and boom you flip over...

I think people who have has this happen could be more beneficial to a thread like this tho.. As they know what happened to them and they should know what caused it and how they could avoid it the next time around (if they still have a job that is).... I have never been in that situation thankfully so I can only weight in my opinions..

- High winds
- Too fast around a corner
- Car cuts you off, you over correct
- Hydroplane of the road
- falling asleep, hit cement guard rail (maybe even go over it)
- High center of gravity
- type of freight
- weather

I know the hydroplaning is pretty scary sometimes.... I had this one case I think I was in PA going to a back haul.. It was raining buckets and lots of water on the freeway.. I mean it was coming down faster then it could drain of the road... I has a empty aluminum flatbed... I was driving completely straight and my trailer was just all over the place... Now if I had hit my brakes hard I bet ya my trailer would have maybe slid even more to one side... Another time I was driving bobtail down a road and it was snowing.. I again was driving completely straight my speed was consistant and I didn't make an sudden moves.. All of a sudden out of no where my tractor fishtails bad ... I just kept aiming myself straight reduced my speed a little but DID NOT hit the brakes.. If I hit the brakes I would have for sure ended up in the ditch off the road (and quite possibly flipped on my side)... Both of these of course are mother natures weather.. I didn't do anything stupid and nothing really to do with lack of knowledge actually the opposite if it wasn't for my knowledge on both occasions I could have been on the "I flipped my truck" list and probably out of work...

 

Here's an idea.

When you're in heavy traffic, slow down about two miles per hour. This will increase your following distance and thus, your reaction time. More reaction time means more time to decide the best course of action along with a smoother execution.

D'ya think maybe that might help you to not roll your truck?

 

Hydroplaning is a good one. Your tires when there is water on the surface of the road are pumps. The grooves swallow up the water and displace it to the side or straddle it momentarily so the lugs can touch ground. The faster you go the more likely to overwhelm the pump action of the tires' grooves thence hydroplaning. Solution? Slow down. Most problems in controlling the class 8 vehicles can be solved by slowing down.

 

Well this just happened recently near home. They have started harvesting mostly soybeans since most of them were killed off with an early frost but one grain truck went around a corner doing 70 on loose gravel and tipped it. So some advice? Don't take corners insanely fast or pull any quick maneuvers at high speed.

 

Were you flipping trucks the other nine years?

 

Don't swerve!

Your truck is top heavy, and can't handle violent steering inputs. When a sucidial 4-wheeler pulls out in front of you and slams on their brakes, hit 'em!