What does it mean to ‘Jackknife’ a tractor-trailer?
A: In the context of commercial truck accidents, to “jackknife” means to place the trailer at a very sharp angle to the tractor. This often causes the trailer to cross other lanes of travel and happens when there is a sudden application of the brakes. Jackknife accidents can lead to serious and sometimes fatal consequences when vehicles in adjacent lanes, or following vehicles, are unable to stop in time.
