The facts
A log truck driver was on route to a lumber mill with a large, heavy load securely fastened to his trailer. As he was travelling on a highway to his destination, another vehicle crossed at a median and struck the front left bumper of his log truck before spinning out and colliding with another vehicle that was close by. Upon impact, the logs attached to the trailer shifted forward, crushed through the truck's headache rack and cab, and pinned the driver to the steering wheel causing severe injuries.
The result
The driver was extracted from his damaged log truck and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The headache rack installed on the log truck was made from aluminum, which unbeknown to the driver, is a material known to weaken over time and therefore become ineffective in preventing logs from breaking through log truck cabs. The log truck driver could have potentially avoided injury by having the headache rack installed on the trailer rather than directly behind the cab itself. The collision caused extensive damage to the log truck with repairs paid in full by the claimant's insurer.
Risk factors
Risk factor #1
While aluminum headache racks are tempting due to their lightweight properties and visual appeal, steel will always be the winner in terms of strength, durability and vitally, increasing the safety of log truck occupants.
Risk factor #2
Installing headache racks on trailers rather than cabs can help mitigate property damage and injuries by reducing and/or eliminating forward movement of a load during an accident.
* The claims scenario is strictly documented for illustrative purposes only and provides an example of what a policy could cover. It is intended to provide a general overview of the program described. Please remember only the insurance policy can give actual terms, coverage, amounts, conditions and exclusions. Program availability and coverage are subject to individual underwriting criteria.