Types of Semi Truck Accidents
Due to their size and weight, semi trucks are top-heavy and can easily roll over at any speed. These accidents can cause serious injuries to those involved.
Driver errors are the main reason for semi-truck accidents. However, other factors can cause an accident involving a rollover.
Rear-End Collisions
A serious injury can result from collisions between a vehicle and another vehicle. This is especially true if commercial truck or semi-truck is involved. These vehicles can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and can cause serious injuries to passengers or other drivers if they collide with each other.
There are many ways you can prevent a rear-end collision commercial trucks. Getting as much education as is possible and adhering to traffic laws are key. You should avoid driving if you feel tired or distracted by drugs or alcohol.
A personal injury attorney should be consulted if you’re involved in a collision with a truck. An attorney can help you determine if the damages are covered by your insurance or if it is necessary to make a claim.
Most rear-end accidents with trucks occur because of human error. However, some accidents can be caused by mechanical issues. These situations could result in a manufacturer or mechanic being held responsible for your accident.
Other causes of these accidents include driver inexperience or reckless driving. These crashes are particularly risky for teens, elderly, and those with disabilities.
Rear-end st louis truck accident lawyer accidents may also be caused due to fatigue and sleepiness. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has instructed trucking companies to restrict their drivers’ work hours to 10 hours a day.
The blind spot of the driver is another factor that can lead to rear-end collisions involving a tractor-trailer. Drivers of tractor-trailers might have trouble seeing other vehicles because of their vast blind spots.
This is why trucks can cause rear-end collisions when a passenger vehicle shifts lanes or moves into the driver’s blind spot. This could result in serious bodily injuries or even death for the person riding in the vehicle.
In a rear-end accident the most commonly injured are bruises and cuts. This is due to the fact that the vehicle’s back can be the most affected. This can result in debris flying around and hitting the vehicle’s occupants. Due to the weight of the vehicle, the back can be bent or crushed. In serious crashes, this can lead to head injuries, neck and spinal cord injuries.
Side Collisions
Side collisions are among the most risky types of truck accidents. Side collisions can cause serious injuries to those sitting on the vehicle or truck that was struck.
The vast majority of side collisions involve vehicles that weigh close to the same weight. This is a major issue particularly since commercial trucks can outweigh cars by 20 times one, and they are frequently traveling at extremely high speeds.
These huge, heavy-duty trucks pose a constant threat on highways and streets across the nation. There are steps that motorists can take in order to minimize the risk of being involved with an accident involving a truck that is side-impact.
First, be sure to remain in your lane and signal when you need to pass the semi. This is an ideal rule of thumb for all vehicles on the road, but it is especially crucial for semis.
Another important safety consideration is to stay clear of being a tailgater to the truck. It’s a risky error to tailgate the truck of a significant size. This could cause the truck’s wheels to crash into your vehicle. This can cause severe injuries and even death.
Do not brake or turn in front of a truck. This could be dangerous at intersections.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, side collisions resulted in 6.037 deaths and 515,000 injuries in the year 2018 all over the country. This figure surpasses the fatalities of head-on and rear-end crashes.
This type of crash is most frequent at intersections where truckers need to be aware of other traffic. Truck drivers who do not properly gauge the time it takes to turn left or right can result in these accidents.
Truck drivers may also make mistakes when the roads are slippery. This can lead to truck drivers losing control of their vehicles and making an unintentional turn.
If you have been involved in a collision that caused a side-impact and suffer from injuries, it is vital to contact a seasoned semi truck accident lawyer. They can assist you to obtain the compensation you need for your injuries.
Jackknife Collisions
Jackknifing accidents are among the most dangerous types of truck crashes and can cause devastating injuries to the victim. These accidents can result in one semi truck colliding with another.
A truck’s trailer could slide horizontally across the road and into the path of other vehicles in the event of a jackknife. This can result in injuries to everyone involved and also cause damage or destruction of other property.
Although jackknifing accidents can happen with any type of vehicle however, they are more frequent with large trucks. Due to their weight and size, these heavy vehicles can be more difficult to stop and slow down.
Driver error is usually the reason behind a jackknife collision. This could be caused by speeding and braking too abruptly, or not paying attention in the traffic.
Other causes of jackknife crashes are unsafe weather conditions as well as equipment malfunctions. In poor weather conditions, like snow or icy roads decreases visibility, and makes it harder for truck drivers to see other road users, causing them to brake abruptly and run the risk of causing a jackknife collision.
Another cause for a accident involving a jackknife is an overload of cargo on the trailer. This can result in uneven load distribution, which can then sway the truck’s trailer and the cab.
Inadequate loading and security of cargo may result in overload. This can also result in a jackknife-truck crash. The person responsible to load and secure the cargo may be held responsible for any damage.
To ensure that trucks are safe for the road and for the weather, they should be properly maintained and inspected. Regular inspections, such as checking the mechanical components and tires, can prevent jackknifing crashes from occurring.
Despite the best safety precautions even with the best safety measures, a jackknife crash is still a gruesome accident that can cause catastrophic injuries and death. If you or a loved one have suffered severe injuries due to a jackknife accident, a Roswell personal injury lawyer may be able to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Rollover Collisions
Rollovers are among the most risky types of car accidents, and they can happen with any type of vehicle. Truckers are particularly susceptible to rollover accidents because of their weight and height.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 70 percent of all large truck rollover crashes involve tractor-trailers. These trucks usually weigh 80,000 pounds or more, which makes them extremely dangerous when they collide with.
If a truck is flipped on its side, the entire vehicle could tip over and become trapped beneath it, resulting in an unavoidable situation. A semi-truck driver who fails to control the vehicle through speeding or turning abruptly is the main cause of rollover crashes.
Tractor-trailers may be taller than passenger cars and heavier than tractor-trailers. This can lead to them being more unstable. This can be due to several factors, including the amount of cargo inside the trailer, as well as the speed at which the driver turns around a turn or a curve.
Tripping – A large truck could tip over and land onto its side when it comes into contact with a curb or other road obstruction. This can cause many injuries, including paralysis , and traumatic brain injury.
Poor steering – The FMCSA states that 19 of the 239 rollovers were the result of poor steering control. This can occur when you shift your vehicle a lot or shift lanes. It can be triggered when you’re distracted by other activities like sleeping at the wheel, being distracted or slumbering at the wheel.
Unproperly loaded CargoThe cargo of a truck can shift rapidly and cause it to lose its stability or result in a rollover accident. This is a serious issue when a vehicle contains hazardous materials, which is often loaded incorrectly.
A stray tire can also cause a truck to lose equilibrium and increase the likelihood of falling over. This could happen as a result of the blowout of a tire, or if the driver doesn’t pay attention to the road and steers unintentionally.
They can be devastating to those who are affected by the accident. They can cause a broad range of serious injuries from broken bones to burns. They can also be very severe and require multiple operations. If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a truck it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as you can so that you can seek the compensation you’re entitled to for your loss.