NEWS SHORT: Travel trailer totaled after flipping on its side

Trailer flips on its side on Interstate-15 at milepost 58, after it started swaying causing the truck to lose traction and the trailer to whip around. Cedar City, Utah. April 29, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George/Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY – State troopers responded to a single-vehicle accident on Interstate-15 at milepost 58 Friday after a travel trailer whipped, causing it to flip on its side, authorities said.

The accident involved a white Toyota Tundra truck hauling a 35-foot trailer. The trailer began swaying left to right, causing the driver to lose control and the trailer to flip on its side, said Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Esplin.

“Trailer whip is completely a physics thing,” Esplin said. “The trailer starts swaying back and forth and becomes heavier than the truck. At that point, the trailer lifts the coupling between the truck and the trailer causing the truck to lose traction. The trailer then either jack-knifes the truck or, like in this case, causes the trailer to whip around and flips the trailer over on its side.”

The trailer, towed from the scene, was totaled in the accident. There were no physical injuries to the parties involved, said UHP Trooper Brian Bairett, and no citations were issued.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

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