Are there any "Warning signs" before a rollover???

Worrying means he's concerned which is a good thing. I'd rather have someone think about it than not think about it.

Worship the yellow signs and if you have a top heavy load even drop down slower and you'll never have a problem.

Crosswinds/micro bursts are what can surprise someone. Winds always pick up speed through valleys. Coming out of tunnels or a high bridge stretching across two mountains in a storm, you are more susceptible.

It's been a long time ago I come out of that Walker Mtn. tunnel on I-77 and got hit by a super big gust. My trailer tires come off the ground. It scared the crap out of me.

 

Or just go slow and be safe.

 

I didn't think it was possible to get going fast enough in Jersey to roll over !!

 

IMO you can feel the edge of a roll-over as the truck starts to get light on one side. I get that same feeling when wind is trying to catch the rig and knock it over. However... that's the edge of the event. If you "feel" that you'll have the oppportunity to slow down, but if you really hammering down into it, you're going over. Be a little more conservative on the speed, and you won't have this problem.

 

If you feel yourself leaning over in your driver's seat while going around a corner, you are going too fast and you can roll over. Typically, if the load was loaded correctly and no shifting freight occurs in the trailer, when you go around any curve, you shouldn't be leaning to the right or left in the seat at all. Every semi truck driver should know that you take the curves and turns nice and easy. Also roll overs can be caused by jerking the truck around corners and causing the freight to shift, pulling the truck over. In the event of a freight shift in the trailer, many times you wont know what is happening until it happens and if your freight shifts while you are going slowly around a corner, then you will have no recourse. You will turn over, even if you come to a complete stop. Once the freight starts to go and builds momentum, it just keeps on going.

If you want to test this, just find an old piece of junk truck and trailer. Find a farm field or abandoned parking lot. Put something in the trailer that wont matter if its damaged and flip it over. Then you'll know and you'll never forget it. Once a driver flips a truck over, they never forget it. If you want even more of an education about all types of accidents go to a local tow truck shop and just wait for an accident to occur. Then talk to the unfortunate driver who was in the accident. I wouldn't want to do this personally, but the tow truck drivers know just about everything you would ever want to know about truck accidents.

 

About 20 years ago I was hauling a load of corrugate paper ( giant rolls of card board ). 4 rolls over the drives. 4 rolls over the trailer tandems. Each bundle of 4 plastic strapped top and bottom. Heavy old 48' Spring Ride. My tractor a '93 F'liner Classic with air ride. I got off the I-81 southbound in Clarkes Summit, PA, onto the PA 'Pike North East Extension ( I - 476 ) heading to Philly. There is a pretty sharp turn right past the get-on there, and I knew it BUT choose to push it. Well the top strap broke on the bundle over the drives. I swear the left wheels were in the air around that turn. There was no mistaking the feel of that load shift !! I didn't duck 'er, but I had to creep all the way to Philly at 35 mph, four ways on, drive tires occasionaly rubbin' the plate, and a VERY pronounced lean to the right. It was a nice clear spring morning. Had the load shifted further right, or had the weather been bad, I'd have stopped somewhere to find a tow-motor clamp to fix the load. Hind sight is always 20/20

SL

 

If going around a curve too fast and she starts to lean, gas on it and pull it on out of the curve. That is if u have a truck with horsepower and plenty of gear left. Hit your brakes and your done. Be looking for a new truck then.