CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chances are you've driven behind a dump truck hauling dirt or gravel and seen a sign on the back claiming the company isn't responsible if anything falls out of the truck and breaks your windshield.
A Reddit user posted a photo of a truck with one of those signs and asked if they really do prevent the truck driver or company from liability in the event of an accident.
"How is this even legal?" they wrote. "How can you not be responsible for causing damage to other vehicles?"
So what happens if something does fall out and damages another vehicle? Can you be held responsible for something just because of a tiny warning sign on the back of a truck?
THE QUESTION
Does a large truck sign that says, "Stay back, not responsible for broken windshield" hold up in court?
THE ANSWER
No, these signs on the back of trucks stating they are not responsible if something falls out will not hold up in court. If something hits your windshield from an unsecured load, the driver could be found liable and ordered to pay for the damage.
OUR SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
Mauney said signs like this are posing as a get-out-of-jail-free card. Don't be fooled.
"You can't put a sign on the back of your gravel truck that says, 'I'm not negligent if you get hit by my rocks flying out the back,'" Mauney explained. "That would not hold up in court."
There's also a North Carolina statute addressing this type of situation. It states, "No vehicle shall be driven . . . on any highway unless the vehicle is constructed and loaded to prevent any of its load from falling, blowing, dropping, sifting, leaking, or otherwise escaping therefrom.”
"The driver of a gravel truck could receive a ticket for it in addition to any civil liability," Mauney said.
The driver can also be held negligent if their unsecured load injures another driver. The best thing to do in these situations is to give yourself extra room and drive carefully. If your vehicle is hit by something that flies off a truck, try to get the license plate number or a description of the vehicle so you can follow up with the owner and pursue legal remedies.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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