Truck Accidents & Deaths from Long Loads

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Truck Accidents Caused by Long Loads or Vehicles Sticking into Oncoming Traffic:

The Overlooked Danger of Protruding Cargo

As a Board-Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer (Texas Board of Legal Specialization, since 1988), licensed in both Texas and New York, and a former attorney for the Supreme Court of the State of Texas I’ve spent over four decades holding negligent defendants and trucking companies accountable for devastating, preventable crashes.

Most people think of truck wrecks as head-on collisions or rollovers. But some of the most gruesome and preventable crashes happen when trucks carrying extra-long loads—like pipes, poles, or steel beams—extend dangerously into active traffic lanes. These protruding hazards can impale motorcycles, crush cars, and take lives in an instant.

We represent victims of these overlooked yet catastrophic wrecks. These crashes are not “accidents”—they are typically caused by clear violations of federal safety rules and basic driver judgment. This article covers how these wrecks happen, who is at fault, and how our legal team builds strong cases to hold all responsible parties accountable.

How Long-Load Trucks Become Deadly Hazards on American Roads

Whether in West Texas oilfields, rural logging roads of the Northwest, downtown streets in major cities or interstate highways or gravel roads across the USA, trucks carrying long materials pose unique risks. A 30-foot metal pipe may not look dangerous when strapped to a 20 ft flatbed—until the truck turns, sways, or parks, and the load juts into a lane of travel an entire 10 feet.

Most Common Scenarios:

Swing-out turns: A trailer loaded with long poles makes a left turn, and the back end swings wide. A passing motorcycle or small car is skewered by the overhanging material.
Improper parking or breakdowns: Trucks park illegally on highway shoulders with cargo sticking out into the slow lane or shoulder.
Unmarked overhangs at night: Drivers fail to hang red flags or flashing beacons from long rear overhangs, violating federal DOT rules.
Sharp elevation changes or turns: On hills, cargo shifts or “dips” dangerously into adjacent lanes.

In most cases, the victims have zero time to react. They are driving lawfully when they encounter a deadly object intruding into their lane—resulting in violent collisions that lead to death or catastrophic injuries including traumatic amputations, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Speak With a Truck Accident Attorney Now

If you or a loved one were injured or killed in a crash involving an overhanging load or a trailer obstructing traffic, don’t wait. Call now for a free, no-obligation consultation. We act fast to preserve evidence and fight for full compensation.

Dangers of Not Just the Cargo—But the Truck or Trailer Blocking Traffic

While extended cargo such as poles or pipes often causes deadly impalement crashes, in many cases, it’s the position of the trailer or truck itself that causes the wreck. Large trucks making improper turns or stopping unsafely can block entire lanes of travel, creating lethal hazards for unsuspecting drivers.

Wide left turns across multi-lane highways where the trailer is stretched across oncoming traffic with no warning
U-turns on narrow rural roads, especially in oilfield or industrial zones, where the full trailer blocks both lanes
Backups into driveways or work sites, where the truck juts across lanes without spotters or warning cones
Illegal shoulder stops, where the rear of the trailer extends into a live lane, especially at night or in fog

A common scenario: a flatbed carrying a long load begins a turn across traffic. The trailer’s body blocks the entire path of a car or motorcycle, and the rear of the cargo extends even further, adding a second impact point. Victims may first collide with the side of the trailer, then be impaled or crushed by cargo that extends beyond it as many commercial trucks do not have side impact underride devices

These trailer obstruction wrecks are just as deadly—and just as preventable—as cargo-only crashes. Commercial drivers are trained to understand vehicle dimensions, swing radius, and the importance of not obstructing active traffic lanes without proper signage, flagging, or escort.

The FMCSA Rules on Extended Loads Are Clear

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets strict standards for commercial trucks with oversized or extended loads. Violations of these standards can be used as proof of negligence in a lawsuit.

Key federal requirements include:

Warning flags or lights: Red or orange flags must be attached to any load extending more than 4 feet beyond the trailer. In low-light conditions, blinking lights or reflectors are also required.
Load securement: All loads must be tied down properly with approved straps, chains, or braces to prevent lateral movement.
Marking during transport and turns: Truckers must assess all turns to ensure that loads do not obstruct adjacent lanes or cross traffic paths.
Escort vehicles: In some states, pilot cars are required for extra-long loads.

Failure to follow these standards can render the driver, the trucking company, or both legally liable for any resulting crash.

The Devastating Consequences of Impalement Truck Crashes

Unlike most car accidents, impalement collisions involving extended cargo often lead to catastrophic injuries or instant death. We’ve worked with victims whose cases involved horrifying injuries and long-term suffering:

Injury examples include:

Impalement through the windshield into the driver or passenger seat
Decapitation or massive skull trauma from steel or wood beams
Spinal Cord Damage (SCI) from mid-body penetrations
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) from impacts to the head and skull
Organ damage and internal bleeding after metal rods pierce the abdomen or chest
Amputation when limbs are crushed or torn away
Severe disfigurement and psychological trauma for survivors

Even when victims survive, they may face months or years of rehabilitation, surgeries, and assistive devices. These are high-damages cases—but they are also complex, expert-driven lawsuits that require precise handling.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for Truck Impalement Wrecks?

1. Truck Driver Negligence
Drivers are trained to understand how far their load extends. Failing to use flags, take safe turns, or avoid blocking lanes is direct negligence.

2. Trucking Companies
They may be liable for:

Failing to train or supervise drivers
Dispatching trucks with unsafe loads
Ignoring federal load regulations
Encouraging tight delivery schedules that lead to rushed or unsafe maneuvers

3. Third-Party Loaders or Shippers
In oilfield, logging, or commercial shipping operations, a third-party often loads the materials. If they failed to secure or mark the load properly, they share in the liability.

4. Equipment Manufacturers
If a strap or mounting mechanism fails due to a design or manufacturing defect, the maker can face product liability claims.

5. Government Entities (Occasionally)
In rare cases, poor road signage or broken lighting could contribute, especially in work zones. These cases require rapid evidence preservation and often have shorter filing deadlines.

Real Case Example — Fatal Pipe Impalement in the Permian Basin

In Reeves County, Texas, an oilfield worker was riding home on his motorcycle after a night shift. A pipe truck was turning across the road with an unsecured 42-foot pipe load. The final 10 feet of pipe extended into the left lane. The biker had no chance to brake. He was impaled through the chest and died before EMS arrived.

The trucking company claimed the rider was speeding. The clients’ legal team obtained oilfield security footage, extracted black box data, and hired a crash reconstructionist and were able to show that the load extended into traffic with no markings and violated multiple FMCSA rules.

Why Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer Makes All the Difference

Timing is critical. These cases require a team to act immediately. Trucking companies often “circle the wagons” within hours—hiring their own investigators, cleaning up the crash scene, and destroying critical documents.

What we do immediately:

Issue preservation letters to trucking companies demanding black box data, dash cams, and load logs
Document the truck, cargo, and crash scene before changes can be made
Identify all responsible parties, including shippers, third-party haulers, and equipment providers
Bring in certified experts to prove cargo protrusion, path of travel, and visibility
Handle wrongful death claims with care, respect, and experience

A general personal injury lawyer may not know FMCSA code. We do. And we’ve taken these cases to trial—winning the compensation that families need when life has been shattered.

What Should You Do If You Suspect a Long Load Caused the Crash?

If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a crash where cargo or the trailer stuck into the road:

1. Take photographs of the truck, load, and impact site, if safely possible.
2. Write down truck license plates, DOT numbers, or company names.
3. Do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer.
4. Call our firm immediately. Even if you’re unsure, we will investigate quickly and at no cost to you.

We Handle These Claims Across Texas, New Mexico, California, and Beyond

From oilfield pipe loads in Odessa and Kermit, Texas, to freight poles in Kingman, Arizona, and logging trucks in California, these crashes happen far too often. We are licensed in Texas and New York and work with trusted co-counsel nationwide. If your case occurred in another state, we can still help of licensed co-counsel while ensuring compliance with local bar rules.

We understand the industry-specific risks, including:

Call Us for a Free Consultation—We’ll Fight to Preserve Your Case

These cases demand urgency, expertise, and aggressive investigation. Families dealing with grief or trauma should not also have to chase evidence or argue with insurance adjusters.

We’ve handled some of the most complex and emotionally difficult injury cases in the country. Talk to an experienced truck crash attorney with over 40 years of experience, and national network of experts help give families the advantage they need in the most critical moments.

Call 1-888-LAW-2040 – Available 24/7