Truck crashes caused by distracted or fatigued truck drivers are unfortunately common. However, the Georgia Supreme Court has issued a ruling about another danger related to trucks: the risk of cargo and other objects falling off of a truck and hitting another vehicle.
Secure loads
One of the most fundamental aspects of operating a truck is the idea of a secure load. The cargo that a truck is carrying has to be connected and tied down with the appropriate level of equipment to ensure that it will stay in place. Commercial truck operators are highly trained in securing their loads. However, some truck drivers have a lot less experience and minimal training. When they load up their trucks, they often don’t know the best way to ensure objects will not fall off as they drive.
Liability
The Georgia court has ruled that anyone who helps load something onto a truck is liable if the load falls off and causes some kind of damage. That means a store employee who helps a customer load their purchases into their truck is liable for any future accidents. This means employees will need to be more careful about how much they load onto a truck and how well they secure it. The ruling also applies to the customers, so even if they do not get any help, they are liable for damage that takes place if something falls off.
Trucks with an unsecured load pose a massive risk to everyone around them, and the ruling ensures that the loaders will bear responsibility for the accidents that they might cause.