Around 3 a.m. on Thursday, an 18-wheeler jack-knifed across the westbound Katy Freeway in Houston. The 18-wheeler hit the otter side of the Katy Freeway first; then jack-knifed and slewed across the road to strike the guardrail close to the Taylor exit near the I-10 and I-45 split. (You might recognize this location on the Katy Freeway by the Taylor exit as the scene of regular truck wrecks.) At least one other vehicle was involved in the jack-knife accident on Thursday.

The 18-wheeler’s driver said it was raining at the time of the jack-knife accident and that he lost control of the rig. High winds also might have played a role in the truck wreck. The truck driver’s passenger had been sleeping at the time and woke from the impact. He perhaps thought the end of the world predicted for 12/21/12 was happening a day early as the truck slewed back and forth across the Katy Freeway, striking obstacles in its path. Westbound lanes of the Freeway remained closed while authorities cleared and investigated the wreck. (Sources: Crystal Kobza, abc13.com: and khou.com, 12/20/12)

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What causes an 18-Wheeler to Jack-Knife?

Our Katy Freeway truck accident attorneys point out that several reasons could be behind a truck’s sudden jack-knife accident. The most common causes are these:

• Drive wheels locking up on wet or slippery roads.
• A truck’s brakes locking up.
• Improper application of the brakes.
• Equipment failure.

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