Truck Accidents Caused by Improperly Secured Loads on I-75 and I-96

A piece of lumber comes loose from a flatbed. A pallet shifts inside a trailer going seventy miles an hour. One second you are driving behind a semi on I-75. The next, you are swerving to avoid something you never saw coming.

These moments happen fast. They also happen more often than most Michigan drivers realize. Unsecured load truck accidents are a serious and preventable problem on two of the state's busiest highways. When cargo is not secured properly, the people driving nearby pay the price.

At Marko Law, we build these cases by tracing the failure back to its source. Sometimes that is a careless driver. Sometimes it is a rushed loading dock, or a trucking company that cut corners to save time.

What Counts as an Improperly Secured Load

Michigan and federal law set clear rules for loading, covering, and fastening cargo. A load is considered improperly secured any time it can shift, fall, or escape the vehicle during normal driving.

Common Securement Failures

Most cargo securement violations come down to a handful of avoidable mistakes. We see the same patterns case after case:

Cargo Types Most Likely to Break Loose

Some freight is simply more dangerous when it comes loose. Construction materials, scrap metal, loose produce, heavy machinery, and stacked pallets each have their own federal securement standards. That is because each one fails in a different way. A sheet of plywood behaves differently in the wind than a coil of steel.

The Laws That Govern Cargo Securement

Federal Rules: FMCSA Cargo Securement Standards

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets nationwide cargo securement standards under 49 CFR Part 393, Subpart I. These rules spell out minimum tie-down counts and required working load limits. They also set commodity-specific requirements for everything from logs to machinery. Drivers must inspect their cargo within the first fifty miles of a trip, then periodically afterward.

Michigan's Load Covering Law

Michigan backs up the federal standard with its own statute. Under MCL 257.720, an uncovered load generally must meet one of two requirements. It must be covered with a firmly secured tarp, or fastened with binders strong enough to prevent it from dropping or shifting. A violation of this statute can serve as strong evidence of negligence in a civil claim.

How a Falling or Shifting Load Causes a Crash

Direct Strikes From Falling Debris

The most obvious danger is a direct hit. A piece of cargo falling into a travel lane can strike a following vehicle's windshield or hood. This often happens at highway speed, with no time to react.

Evasive Maneuvers That Cause Secondary Collisions

Many crashes happen without any direct contact at all. A driver swerves to avoid debris and clips another car. Sometimes control is lost entirely. The original truck may drive away without ever knowing a crash happened behind it.

Chain-Reaction Pileups in Highway Traffic

On a congested stretch of I-75 or I-96, one sudden brake check can ripple backward through traffic. What starts as a single piece of debris can end as a multi-vehicle pileup. Many of those drivers never even saw the original hazard.

Injuries Common in These Collisions

The injuries from a debris or cargo-related crash tend to be severe. High speeds and little warning are usually the reason why.

• Traumatic brain injuries from sudden impact or violent braking
• Spinal cord injuries, including partial or complete paralysis in severe cases
• Lacerations and penetrating injuries from broken glass or flying cargo
• Fatal injuries in cases involving direct strikes at highway speed

Who Can Be Held Responsible

The Truck Driver

Drivers must check their own load before departure, then again within the first fifty miles. A driver who skips this step may be personally liable. The same is true for a driver who notices a problem and keeps driving anyway.

The Trucking Company

Trucking companies can be held responsible in several ways. They may pressure drivers to skip inspections. They may fail to train staff on proper securement, or push schedules that encourage shortcuts.

The Shipper or Loading Crew

Sometimes the failure happens before the truck ever leaves the dock. A shipper or third-party loading crew that packs cargo incorrectly can be liable. This holds true even if the driver followed every rule afterward.

Equipment and Maintenance Providers

A strap, chain, or trailer component can fail due to a defect or poor maintenance. When that happens, liability can extend outside the trucking company entirely. A parts manufacturer or maintenance contractor may share responsibility.

What to Do If You're Hit by Debris or an Unsecured Load

Building the Case: Evidence That Matters

Load Manifests and Bills of Lading

These documents show what was being hauled and how it was supposed to be secured. They also show who packed it. Often, they reveal whether proper procedures were followed in the first place.

Driver Inspection Reports and ELD Data

Electronic logging device data can show whether a driver actually stopped to inspect the load. It can also reveal if that step was skipped to stay on schedule.

Dash Cam, Black Box, and Scene Photos

Our team moves quickly to request and preserve this kind of evidence before it disappears. We also draw on FMCSA SAFER system records and carrier safety histories. Together, this builds a complete picture of how a trucking company actually operates.

Evidence to Preserve After a Cargo-Related Crash

• Photos of the debris, road position, and any visible damage
• Contact information for the truck driver and trucking company
• Dash cam footage from your own vehicle or nearby witnesses
• The police report number and responding officer's name
• Names and contact information for anyone who saw the crash

What Compensation May Be Available

Economic Damages

These cover the financial losses that come with a serious injury. That includes past and future medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and property damage to a vehicle.

Non-Economic Damages

Michigan's No-Fault system limits when non-economic damages are available in an auto-related claim. Pain and suffering generally requires a serious impairment of a body function. When that threshold is met, injured people may be entitled to compensation for pain, disfigurement, and lost daily activities.

Wrongful Death Damages

When a cargo-related crash takes a life, surviving family members may have a wrongful death claim. That can include funeral and burial costs, lost financial support, and the loss of a loved one's companionship.

Quick Answers to Common Questions

Michigan follows a comparative negligence rule, so your own share of fault, if any, affects how compensation is divided rather than automatically ending a claim.

A Preventable Crash Deserves a Real Answer

Cargo securement failures almost never happen without a warning sign along the way. A worn strap, a skipped inspection, a rushed loading dock. These are choices, not accidents. When those choices put you or someone you love in harm's way, you have the right to ask hard questions.

We take that responsibility seriously on every case we handle. Holding a trucking company accountable will not undo what happened. It can help make sure it does not happen again to someone else.

Let's Find Out What Really Happened

If you were hurt by debris or an unsecured load on I-75, I-96, or anywhere else in Michigan, you do not have to sort through the trucking company's paperwork alone. Contact Marko Law today for a free case evaluation.