The No. #1 Question That Everyone In Semi Truck Accident Should Be Able Answer
Types of Semi Truck Accidents
Semi trucks are hefty due to their size and weight and can easily be rolled over at any speed. Accidents can cause serious injuries for those involved.
The most frequently cited cause of semi truck accidents is driver error. But, other factors can also contribute to a rollover crash.
Rear-End Collisions
When a vehicle rear-ends another, the result can be serious damage. This is particularly the case when a commercial truck such as a semi-truck is involved. These vehicles can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, and the force of a collision could cause significant injuries to the passengers and drivers in the vehicle that is hit from behind.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to avoid a rear-end collision that involves commercial trucks. It is important to get as much education as you can and adhere to traffic laws. In addition, it is important to avoid driving when you are tired or distracted by alcohol or drugs.
A personal injury lawyer should be consulted if you're involved in a collision with a truck. An attorney can help you determine if your losses are covered by your insurer or if it is necessary to bring a lawsuit.
While the majority of rear-end accidents result from human error, some could be due to mechanical failures. This could lead to a manufacturer or mechanic being held accountable for your accident.
These crashes could also be caused by reckless driving or drivers with no experience. Older people, teens and those with disabilities are all at risk.
Fatigue and drowsiness are also factors in rear-end truck crashes. This is the reason why the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires trucking companies to restrict their drivers' hours of operation to 10 hours a day.
The driver's blind spot is another aspect that can cause an accident that involves a rear-end tractor-trailer. Drivers of tractor-trailers might be unable to see vehicles due to their huge blind spots.
Trucks can cause rear-end collisions when an automobile that is a passenger vehicle enters the area of blindness for the truck's driver or when the driver changes lanes. This could cause serious bodily injuries or even death for the person riding in the vehicle.
Lacerations and bruises are among the most commonly reported types of injuries that can be sustained in rear-end truck accidents. This is because the back of the vehicle will feel the most pressure. This could result in debris flying around and hitting the vehicle's occupants. Due to the weight of the vehicle, the back can become twisted or crushed. This can lead to head trauma, neck or spinal cord injuries and even death in the case of severe crashes.
Side Collisions
Side collisions are the most dangerous type of truck crash. They can cause severe injuries to those sitting on the side of the car or truck that was struck.
Side collisions are almost always involving vehicles that weigh nearly the same. This is a significant issue because commercial trucks are 20 times heavier than cars, and travel at extremely high speeds.
These heavy trucks pose an ongoing threat to roads and highways across the nation. There are steps that car drivers can take to lower the chances of being involved with a side-impact truck collision.
The first rule is to stay in your track. Thirdly consider signalling when you need a semi to pass. This is a good rule of thumb for any vehicle, but particularly for semis.
It is crucial not to let a truck tailgate. Tailgating a large truck can be a deadly mistake because it allows the truck to plow into the back of your vehicle. This can cause severe injuries and even death.
Never brake or turn in front a truck. This can be dangerous at intersections.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that in 2018, side collisions caused 6.037 deaths and 515,000 injuries nationwide. This is more than the deaths of rear-end collisions as well as head-on collisions.
This kind of crash is more frequent at intersections where truckers have to be alert for other traffic. The accidents can occur for many reasons, including truck drivers who fail to properly gauge the amount of time they must take a left or right turn.
In addition, truck drivers may make mistakes during conditions that make roads slippery. This could result in truck drivers losing control of their vehicles and taking a an unintentional turn.
If you have been involved in a collision with a side impact and are suffering from injuries, it is important to speak with an experienced semi truck accident attorney. They can assist you to receive the money you need to cover your losses.
Jackknife Collisions
Accidents that involve jackknifing can cause serious injuries and are among the most hazardous types. These collisions could involve a single semi or multiple trucks colliding.
If a truck's trailer is jackknifed it, it may move horizontally across the road and into the path of other vehicles. This can cause injuries to the motorists involved in the collision, and may cause damage or even destruction of other properties within the vicinity.
Jackknifing accidents can occur in any vehicle, but they are more frequent in large trucks. These heavy vehicles are more difficult to stop and slow due to their weight and size.
Driver error is usually the cause of an accident with a jackknife. This can be a result of speeding or braking too abruptly or not paying attention to traffic conditions ahead.
Other reasons for jackknife accidents are dangerous weather conditions and equipment failures. Conditions that are not ideal like rain and frozen roads, make difficult for truck drivers to observe other road users. This can cause them to brake abruptly and can lead to an accident with a jackknife.
The trailer is loaded with cargo and overloaded. This is another reason that can cause an accident involving a jackknifetruck. This can cause uneven distribution of the load, which could cause the truck's trailer to sway and cab.
An overload can also be caused by inadvertent loading and securement of the cargo, which may cause a jackknife-truck collision. The party responsible for loading and securing cargo could be held liable for the damage.
To ensure that trucks are safe for the road, and for the weather, they must be properly maintained and inspected. Routine inspections, for example, checking the mechanical components or tires, can help stop jackknifing accident from happening.
Despite the best safety measures an accident involving a jackknife is still a deadly accident that could cause fatal injuries and even death. If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries as a result of a jackknife accident, a Roswell personal injury lawyer might be able to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Rollover Collisions
Rollovers are among the most dangerous types of accidents that happen to vehicles, and they are possible with any kind of vehicle. However, truckers are more vulnerable to rollover collisions because of their height and weight.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 70 percent of all large truck rollover crashes involve tractor-trailers. These trucks typically weigh 80,000 pounds or more, making them especially hazardous when they fall over.
A truck that rolls on its side could cause it to flip over onto its back which traps the truck beneath which could lead to potentially fatal situations. A semi-truck driver who is unable to control the vehicle when speeding or turning abruptly is the most frequent cause of rollover crashes.
Tractor-trailers are often taller than passenger cars and heavier than tractor-trailers. This can lead to them being more unstable. This can be caused by various factors, including the amount of cargo inside the trailer or the speed at which the driver turns around corners.
Tripping - A heavy truck can tip over and roll over onto its side when it comes into contact with a curb or any other road obstruction. This can cause many different injuries which include brain injury traumatic and paralysis.
Poor steering - The FMCSA reports that 19 of the 239 rollovers resulted of bad steering control. This can happen when you make lane changes or swerving sharply and could result from a person falling asleep at the wheel, or inattention, or other distractions.
Unproperly loaded Cargo - A truck's load could shift rapidly and could cause it to lose its stability and result in a rollover. This can be a particularly major issue when a car is loaded with dangerous materials, which is often loaded incorrectly.
A stray tire may cause a truck to lose equilibrium and increase the likelihood of falling over. This could be caused by an airbag blowout or the driver's lack of attention to the road and swerving abruptly.
These can be incredibly devastating to those who are injured in the crash. These injuries can lead to serious injuries, such as burns and broken bones. They can also be extremely severe and require multiple operations. If you've been injured in the case of a truck rolling over, it's important to contact an attorney as soon as possible so that you can seek the compensation you're due for your loss.