Which type of truck-trailer combination is most susceptible to the "crack the whip" rollover effect?

The "crack the whip" rollover effect occurs in truck-trailer combinations when the rear trailer swings out widely due to a sudden maneuver, causing a chain reaction that can lead to a rollover. The more trailers in a combination, the greater the potential for this effect, especially when sharp turns or evasive maneuvers are involved.

In this context, a tractor pulling three trailers is the most susceptible to this phenomenon. This is because the additional trailers create longer counterbalancing forces that can enhance the swinging motion during sharp turns, leading to an increased likelihood of instability. The distance between the first and last trailers amplifies the effect of the sway that can occur, making it harder to control the combination and increasing the risk of a rollover.

Conversely, a combination with a single trailer or even two trailers would experience reduced motion and swaying, making those configurations less prone to the "crack the whip" effect. Therefore, when evaluating the risks associated with different configurations, it becomes clear that more trailers correlate with a higher risk of rollover due to this phenomenon.