As a truck driver, driving around with heavy loads involves much more than experienced driving. While safe speeds and slow turns are critical, sometimes a load shift can happen and cause serious troubles.
Load shifts can happen for a few reasons, but typically it’s when the weight of the load shifts and causes the truck to lose balance. In severe cases, it can even result in a full tip over, needing a spill recovery and load shift service. Understanding the causes and prevention methods for a load shift will keep your drivers and fellow drivers safe.
What Causes a Load Shift?
The culprit for most load shifts starts right at the beginning when crews are loading the cargo. It can become unbalanced if it isn’t correctly distributed evenly across the truck. It can also happen when the cargo isn’t properly secured, so every little bump and turn causes it to shift slightly.
Eventually, the truck becomes unbalanced and risks tipping over at the next turn. It can also result in the load falling off the truck, moving around in the trailer, causing damage, roadblocks and potential costs if anything breaks or spills.
How To Prevent Load Shifts
Prevention is the best approach to avoid needing to call for help due to a load shift incident. First, always ensure your load is evenly distributed across the truck. Next, ensure compliance with weight limits and that the load is unbalanced one way or another. Finally, once it’s loaded, double-check that all straps and other tying materials are in place, in good condition, and properly secure.
Call Pro-Enviro for Load Shift Services
If you find yourself with shifting cargo, pull over and try to reposition it. If you can’t, it’s time to call Team Pro-Enviro to help. We specialize in many tow services, including load shift services. Our team can expertly readjust cargo and secure it to avoid any more potential risks of a shift.
If a load spill has happened, we’ll bring all the right equipment to either clean up or help reload the cargo. Either way, at the end of the day, our trusty team Pro-Enviro is just a call away to help get you back on the road.
For more information on Pro-Enviro’s load shift services and to see photos of us in action, check out the other stories on our recovery blog.
