Marietta Injury Lawyer Blog
In September of 2025, WSAV reported that a semi-truck had overturned in Georgia. Although the incident led to only minor injuries, it highlights how frequently commercial trucks flip over in the Peach State. Why is this the case? What causes these heavy, lumbering vehicles to flip over onto their sides? What can you do if you were injured by a semi-truck that overturned on a Georgia highway?
Unbalanced Loads Can Cause Trucks to Flip Over
Unbalanced loads represent a common issue in the trucking industry. As the name implies, this issue involves cargo loaded onto a truck in an improper manner. The weight of this cargo may not be distributed evenly, increasing the chances of a rollover truck accident in Cobb County. Some cargo is inherently difficult to distribute in an even manner. This includes lumber, as trees grow in unpredictable ways. As a result, logs might be notably heavier on one side, making this cargo difficult to load properly.
Liquid cargo might also make trucks more unstable on the road. Common examples include liquid concrete or liquid fuel. This liquid cargo can splash and churn while vehicles are in motion, causing the truck to tip over. This is particularly common when truckers make sharp turns. Junk can also be challenging to load onto trucks in an evenly distributed manner. Dump trucks and garbage trucks may carry a mismatched collection of scrap metal, drywall, gravel, and other items that leave these vehicles completely unbalanced.
Trucking companies should make a concerted effort to pack their cargo in a way that reduces the chances of rollover accidents. If victims can establish that the company failed in this duty of care, it might be easier to pursue justice and compensation after crashes.
Wind Can Cause Trucks to Roll Over
Although it might seem impossible for a gust of wind to knock over a heavy semi-truck, these incidents occur more often than many realize. These accidents are particularly common in states where high winds are common. Georgia certainly sees its fair share of storms during the average season, and winds can reach high speeds on highways.
If the conditions are right, the trailer of a semi-truck can act as a sail, capturing the energy of crosswinds and knocking the vehicle over onto its side. These incidents can cause serious injuries and fatalities, especially if smaller vehicles are caught underneath semi-trucks as they roll over.
Reckless Driving Can Cause Trucks to Roll Over
Although it may be easy to blame rollover crashes on wind or unbalanced loads, truckers are often at least somewhat responsible for these crashes. Distraction, speeding, intoxication, and sleep deprivation can all make these crashes more likely.
Sometimes, trucking companies knowingly hire unqualified truckers who are more likely to make mistakes and cause rollover truck crashes in Marietta. These might also hire truckers with problematic driving records. These records might include clear evidence of past DUIs, speeding tickets, and other infractions. Rollover crashes are often caused by a combination of human error, improper hiring practices, mechanical issues, and weather conditions.