Load Shift Accidents: The Overlooked Cause of Many Kankakee, IL Trucking Incidents

The familiar ribbon of Interstate 57 cuts directly through Kankakee County, a vital artery for commerce that brings a constant flow of semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and 18-wheelers past our communities. We share the road with these massive vehicles every day, often without a second thought. But when a truck suddenly swerves, jackknifes, or rolls over, the consequences are immediate and catastrophic. Drivers often blame a tire blowout or a moment of distraction, but a frequent and overlooked culprit is invisible to other motorists: the cargo inside the trailer.

A load shift occurs when poorly secured or improperly balanced freight moves violently during transit, throwing off the truck’s center of gravity and sending it out of the driver’s control. These are not simple “accidents”; they are failures of safety and oversight that can leave devastating injuries and complex legal questions in their wake.

What Exactly Is a Load Shift Accident?

A load shift accident is a collision caused by the movement of freight inside a commercial truck’s trailer. Unlike a passenger car, a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. For this weight to be controlled, it must be perfectly balanced and secured.

Think of it like carrying a large, flat tray with a heavy bowling ball on it. If the ball is in the center and you walk slowly, it is manageable. But if the ball is placed near the edge, or if you suddenly stop or turn, the ball will slide, forcing you to lose your balance. Now, multiply that force by tens of thousands of pounds moving at highway speeds on I-57.

When cargo—be it pallets of goods, heavy machinery, or liquid in a tanker—shifts, it creates a powerful surge of momentum. This can:

Cause the trailer to sway violently, or “fishtail.”
Push the truck forward during a sudden stop, increasing stopping distance.
Raise the center of gravity on one side during a turn, pulling the entire rig over in a rollover crash.

Why Does Cargo Shift Inside a Moving Truck?

Cargo does not move on its own. A load shift is almost always the result of a human error or equipment failure that breaches safety regulations. The most common causes are failures in the loading, securing, or driving process.

Improper Loading and Weight Distribution

There is a science to loading a trailer. Freight must be distributed according to a precise plan to maintain a low and even center of gravity. Common loading errors include:

Being Top-Heavy: Placing the heaviest goods on top of lighter goods. This makes the truck extremely unstable and prone to rolling over, even on gentle curves or ramps.
Uneven Weight Distribution: Piling too much weight on one side of the trailer (side-to-side) or too much at the very front or back (front-to-back).
Failure to Block and Brace: Cargo must be packed tightly against the trailer walls and other freight. Any empty space, or “void,” allows room for the cargo to gain momentum before striking the trailer walls or other items. Loaders are supposed to use “dunnage”—like wood beams or inflatable bags—to fill these gaps.

Inadequate or Failed Securement

Simply packing a trailer tightly is not enough for many types of cargo. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extremely detailed rules for securing freight.

Insufficient Tie-Downs: Using too few straps, chains, or binders for the weight and size of the cargo.
Improper Securement Devices: Using straps for cargo that requires heavy-duty chains, or using chains on fragile items that then break free.
Defective Equipment: Straps that are frayed, tie-down anchors that are rusted, or chains with weak links can all fail under the normal forces of driving.
Failure to Secure for Direction: Cargo must be secured to prevent shifting forward, backward, and side-to-side. A load braced only for forward motion can easily slide sideways in a turn.

Driver Error

Even a perfectly loaded truck can experience a load shift if the driver operates the vehicle negligently.

Sudden Braking: “Slamming” on the brakes can send thousands of pounds of unsecured cargo crashing into the front of the trailer (the “headache rack”).
Speeding on Curves: Taking a curve or highway off-ramp too fast generates immense lateral G-forces that can pull cargo sideways and tip the entire truck.
Sharp, Abrupt Turns: A sudden swerve to avoid a perceived hazard can be just as dangerous, initiating the “fishtail” that leads to a jackknife.

Liquid Surge in Tanker Trucks

For tanker trucks carrying liquids (like milk, gasoline, or chemicals), the danger is even greater. Tankers that are not fully loaded can experience “sloshing,” where the liquid surges back and forth, creating powerful waves that can push the truck and trailer uncontrollably. While many tankers have internal baffles to reduce this, a partially loaded “smooth bore” tanker is exceptionally hazardous.

The Dangers of Unsecured Loads on Kankakee Roads

When a load shifts, the driver’s control is often an illusion. The trailer begins to dictate the truck’s movement, leading to some of the most violent types of crashes seen on Kankakee County’s highways.

Rollover Accidents: This is the most common outcome of a load shift. As the truck enters a curve (like the I-57 interchange with IL Route 17), the shifting weight raises the center of gravity on one side. The trailer’s tires lift off the pavement, and the entire rig is pulled onto its side, often sliding across multiple lanes of traffic.
Jackknife Accidents: A sudden stop or swerve can cause the trailer to swing out from behind the cab, forming an acute “V” shape. This often happens when a load shift causes the trailer’s wheels to lose traction. The driver is rendered powerless as the trailer careens into adjacent lanes.
Lost Loads and Debris: The force of shifting cargo can be strong enough to break through the trailer doors or tear through a tarp. This spills cargo directly onto the highway, creating a sudden and unavoidable hazard for all following vehicles. This can cause multi-car pileups as drivers swerve or brake to avoid pipes, lumber, coils, or other materials.
Collisions from Swerving: A driver who feels the load begin to shift may instinctively try to correct it by swerving. This overcorrection can cause them to lose control and collide with vehicles in neighboring lanes.

Who Is Legally Responsible for an Improperly Loaded Truck?

This is the most complicated question in a load shift accident case. Unlike a typical car accident with one at-fault driver, a cargo shift claim often involves multiple negligent parties. Identifying all responsible parties is essential to securing full compensation for your injuries.

Potentially liable parties may include:

The Truck Driver

Drivers have a non-negotiable duty to inspect their cargo. FMCSA regulation 392.9 mandates that a driver must inspect their load:

Before the trip begins.
Within the first 50 miles of the trip.
After every 3 hours or 150 miles, whichever comes first.
After any change of duty status (e.g., after a rest stop).

If a driver fails to perform these inspections, or if they notice a shift and fail to correct it, they are negligent. They are also liable if their reckless driving (speeding, hard braking) caused the shift.

The Trucking Company (Motor Carrier)

The carrier is the driver’s employer and is often liable for the driver’s negligence under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior (vicarious liability). The company can also be held directly negligent for:

Failure to train drivers on proper cargo inspection.
Pressuring drivers to meet unrealistic deadlines, encouraging speeding.
Negligent hiring of drivers with a history of safety violations.
Failure to maintain trailers, tie-downs, and other securement equipment.

The Shipper or Loading Company

In many cases, the truck driver does not load the trailer. The freight is loaded by the shipper (the company that produced the goods) or a third-party logistics (3PL) company. If these parties improperly balanced the load, failed to use dunnage, or violated loading protocols, they can be held partially or fully responsible for the accident.

The “Sealed Trailer” Complication

Liability becomes even more complex with “sealed” trailers. A shipper may load a trailer and seal the doors, with instructions that the driver is not to break the seal. The driver then relies on a bill of lading that says “Shipper Load and Count” (SLC).

When this trailer crashes due to a load shift, the trucking company will blame the shipper, claiming the driver had no way to inspect the load. The shipper will blame the trucking company, claiming the driver must have driven recklessly to cause the shift. This creates a legal battle where the victim is caught in the middle. A skilled attorney must dissect the evidence to pinpoint the true source of the failure.

The Manufacturer

If a tie-down strap snapped, a chain broke, or a bulkhead failed under a load it was rated to hold, the manufacturer of that defective equipment may also be a party to the lawsuit.

What Steps Should You Take After a Kankakee Truck Accident?

The moments after a collision with a tractor-trailer are terrifying and chaotic. The steps you take can protect your safety and your legal rights.

Ensure Your Safety: If you can, move your vehicle to a safe location out of traffic. If your car is disabled, turn on your hazard lights. Stay in your vehicle if it is unsafe to exit.

Call 911 Immediately: Report the accident. Specify your location (e.g., “I-57 northbound near the Kankakee River bridge”) and report all known injuries. The Illinois State Police, Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, or Kankakee Police Department will respond. A police report is a vital piece of evidence.

Seek Medical Attention: You must get a medical evaluation, even if you feel you are not seriously hurt. Adrenaline can mask pain. Go to a local emergency room at AMITA Health St. Mary’s Hospital or Riverside Medical Center. This creates a medical record linking any injuries to the collision.

Document Everything (If Safe): Use your phone to take photos and videos of everything.

The positions of all vehicles.
The damage to your car and the truck.
Any cargo that has spilled onto the road.
Any visible securement devices (straps, chains) on the truck.
Skid marks, debris, and the surrounding road conditions.
The truck’s name, DOT number, and license plate.

Get Witness Information: Get the names and phone numbers of anyone who saw the accident. Their independent testimony can be invaluable.

Do Not Give a Recorded Statement: The trucking company’s insurance adjuster will likely call you very quickly. You are not obligated to provide them with a recorded statement. These statements are used to find reasons to deny or devalue your claim. Politely decline and state that you will be seeking legal counsel.

Proving Liability in a Cargo Shift Claim

Because the at-fault parties will blame each other, proving a load shift case requires a deep and immediate investigation. An attorney will work with a team of experts to secure and analyze critical evidence before it is lost or destroyed.

Essential evidence includes:

The Truck’s “Black Box”: The Electronic Control Module (ECM) records data on the truck’s speed, braking, and steering inputs in the moments before the crash. This can prove or disprove the driver’s claim of reckless driving.
Driver’s Records: This includes their electronic logbook (to check for fatigue), post-accident drug and alcohol tests, training certifications, and inspection history.
Loading and Shipping Documents: The bill of lading, weight tickets, and loading diagrams are essential. They show who loaded the cargo, what it weighed, and how it was supposed to be secured.
Loading Dock Surveillance: Many warehouses have cameras that may have recorded the trailer being loaded. This is often the “smoking gun” that shows a negligent loading process.
Accident Reconstruction Experts: These engineers can analyze the physical evidence from the crash scene and the vehicles to scientifically determine why the truck crashed. They can distinguish between a driver-error crash and a load-shift crash.
Cargo Securement Experts: These specialists can analyze the remaining cargo and tie-downs to determine if the load was secured in compliance with FMCSA regulations.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered?

If you were injured by a negligent driver, trucking company, or shipper, you have the right to seek compensation for the full scope of your losses. Illinois law allows victims to recover two main types of damages.

Economic Damages

These are the specific, calculable financial losses from the accident.

All past and future medical bills (ambulance, ER, surgery, hospitalization)
Long-term rehabilitation and physical therapy
Costs for medical devices or home modifications
Lost wages and income from time missed at work
Loss of future earning capacity if you are disabled
Property damage to your vehicle

Non-Economic Damages

These damages compensate for the profound, personal, and non-financial harms.

Pain and suffering
Emotional distress and mental anguish
Disfigurement and scarring
Loss of a normal life
Loss of enjoyment of activities
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Contact a Kankakee Truck Accident Attorney Today

Load shift accidents are far more complex than typical car wrecks. They involve multiple corporations, federal regulations, and teams of insurance adjusters and defense lawyers who will try to shift blame away from their clients. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a trucking accident in Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, or the surrounding area, you need to know your rights. Contact the Fotopoulos Law Office today at 708-942-8400 for a free, confidential consultation. We can review the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and help you pursue the financial stability you need to move forward.