The Risks of Deadheading and Bobtailing

The Risks of Deadheading and Bobtailing

• December 31, 2024
• Categories: Car Accidents

The trucking industry moves millions of tons of freight through Southern California every year. One tractor-trailer alone can haul approximately 45,000 pounds. Transporting this much cargo alongside passenger vehicles is certainly dangerous. Ironically, though, these trucks may present less of a risk when they are fully loaded. It is when they are empty or detached from their trailers that the likelihood of a trucking accident is greatest. If you or someone you know has been involved in such an incident, consulting a truck accident lawyer can provide crucial legal guidance.

Defining the Danger

Like other groups of people who regularly communicate among themselves, truck drivers like to use jargon. Some of the terms they use are easily understood by the rest of us (thanks in part to a 1970s film starring Burt Reynolds). Other terms, such as “deadheading” and “bobtailing,” are more obscure. Here is how those two words are used within the industry:

• Deadheading: Pulling an empty trailer to go pick up a load at another location
• Bobtailing: Driving only the tractor portion of the vehicle, with no trailer attached.

Both of these are an inevitable part of trucking. After dropping off a load, a truck still needs to travel. However, commercial trucks were designed specifically to haul heavy loads, so they do not perform as well when unloaded. Deadheading can result in a 50 percent or more reduction in gross vehicle weight. Bobtailing cuts even more weight, greatly changes the vehicle’s dimensions, and reduces the number of axles by at least two. From a trucker’s perspective, deadheading and bobtailing are like operating a different vehicle altogether — and both can dramatically increase the likelihood of a truck accident.

3 Risks of Operating an Unladen Rig

Driving an Unloaded Truck Puts All Drivers at Risk

Deadheading and bobtailing put motorists (including the truck’s driver) at risk in three ways:

1. The Truck Has Less Traction

Tractor-trailers are often called “semis.” This reflects the fact that a semitrailer does not have its own axles on the front end. Instead, it rests on a coupling located above the rear axles of the tractor portion.

This weight bearing down on the tractor’s rear tandem drive axles is crucial because these axles receive the engine’s torque and most of the braking force. More weight produces better traction. An unladen truck has much less traction and is therefore more difficult to control, especially when going downhill or on wet roads.

If you’ve been harmed by an accident with a truck, you deserve to be compensated for your medical bills, lost income, and physical and emotional pain. Call Neale & Fhima APC at 888-407-2955 to set up your free initial consultation today.

2. Drivers Don’t Have as Much Experience Driving Unloaded Trucks

Freight companies operating in California typically keep deadheading at or below 10 percent of total fleet miles. Bobtailing occurs even less frequently. On one hand, this is good news for motorists, since it means fewer encounters with these dangerous vehicles. On the other hand, truck drivers are not getting the necessary time behind the wheel to become familiar with how a deadhead or bobtail truck performs. It’s situations like these where a motorcycle accident lawyer can provide valuable insight and assistance.

The lack-of-experience problem is exacerbated by the fact that drivers become accustomed to a fully loaded configuration. Human beings are creatures of habit. For better or worse, people tend to acclimate to their surroundings. A driver who logs more than 5,000 miles a month hauling full loads may be caught off guard when that same truck suddenly handles differently.

This particular risk is especially dangerous because truckers often drive when they’re tired or fatigued. When you’re tired, you’re less aware of your surroundings and more likely to default to habit. A fatigued driver who is deadheading or bobtailing may try to drive the truck as if it’s fully loaded before realizing their mistake.

3. Profitability Concerns May Result in Unsafe Driving

Imagine it is a Saturday morning here in Orange County. You are at home, planning a list of tasks to accomplish around town today — a trip to the hardware store, grocery shopping, going to the gym, and so forth. Now imagine you must drive home between each of the errands instead of doing them together in a single trip. Would your frustration affect your driving? Would you be tempted to speed in order to get everything done? It’s moments like these where some people find themselves in need of a speeding accident attorney.

Traveling without cargo wastes a truck driver’s time and money. In the case of an independent owner/operator, the financial loss can be significant. A truck driver who is deadheading or bobtailing should slow down, be extra cautious, and concentrate on the road to minimize the risk of getting into a crash. As you can guess, this is rarely the case. Usually, the faster a driver can get to the next load, the sooner they can start making money again. This can sometimes lead to situations that necessitate a truck accident law firm.

Have You Been Hurt in a Trucking Accident?

You Don’t Have to Handle Your Injuries Alone

Accidents caused by trucks are rarely as straightforward as those caused by passenger vehicles. The trucking company, the drivers themselves, or even businesses responsible for the care and upkeep of the vehicles may all be partially at fault. Accidents involving deadheading or bobtailing may present even more complex issues of vicarious liability and insurance coverage (because the unladen truck may not have been under company dispatch at the time of the accident), making it vital to consult with a dispatcher at the time of the accident. For such intricacies, consulting a personal injury attorney can be invaluable.

Regardless of whether the negligence of one person or several people caused your injuries, you shouldn’t be left to take on the immense weight of a serious injury alone. Compensation can’t completely make up for an accident, but it can make it easier to heal and move on with your life.

If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident you didn’t cause, our office may be able to help. Please call us at 888-407-2955 or contact us online to set up a free consultation.