Jackknife Accidents

Jackknifing is the folding of an articulated truck in a V-shape in an uncontrolled skidding movement. If a vehicle towing a trailer skids, the trailer can push it from behind until it spins and faces backwards. This may be caused by equipment failure, improper braking, or adverse road conditions such as an icy road surface. In extreme circumstances, a driver may attempt to deliberately jack knife the vehicle in order to halt it following brake failure. In a tandem trailer jackknife accident, a truck with two trailers behind a cab is involved. With tandem trucks, a jackknife usually occurs because the rear tandem trailer locks up prior to the drive axle tandems or the front axle.

When a truck jackknifes, the cab is facing in the opposite direction to the trailer. In a jackknife, it is impossible for the cab (which contains the engine) to move and the vehicle becomes stuck. Because a jackknifed truck is almost always facing sideways across the lanes of a road, and can no longer move, it may be the cause of other crashes involving multiple cars. Jackknife accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries and wrongful death, so it’s very important to make sure that you drive carefully around semi-trucks so as to hopefully avoid a jack-knife truck accident.

If a truck accident caused injury or death, the injured party has a right to recover compensation from all the responsible parties. An experienced cement truck crash attorney can help receive financial recovery from all liable parties. If you have been involved in a cement truck accident, please call New Jersey truck accident attorney Jeffrey S. Hark at Hark & Hark to discuss your case.