Large trucks, big rigs, and tractor-trailers can cause scary accidents resulting in serious injuries, damages, or wrongful death. The significant size differential between trucks and passenger vehicles magnifies disaster potential.
The prominent factor in these accidents is negligence. Many collisions happen because of failure to exercise proper care, control, and attention. This negligence further exacerbates the already alarming nature of these accidents and provides an urgent need for action.
To address these challenges, we at Nordean Law offer you our expertise and representation against the party at fault. Hiring our services comes at no cost, and we access a free case evaluation for those seeking justice and compensation.
Most Common Types of Truck Accidents
Trucks are essential to our economy because they carry goods throughout the nation, but they also put drivers at serious risk. This risk gets worse by careless truck drivers, substandard truck maintenance, and business owners who violate safety rules.
Large trucks cause significant highway destruction, resulting in catastrophic injury and property loss. Innocent victims bear the brunt of the damage caused by various truck accidents.
Rollover Accidents
One of the most devastating and horrific collisions is a truck rollover. When a truck turns on a curve, the centrifugal force pushes it outward, causing it to lean away from the curve. This can result in dangerous rollover accidents. Truck drivers should be extremely careful when making sudden turns or unexpected swerves and know their vehicle’s capabilities.
Among various causes of rollover accidents, the most common causes are:
- Improper Cargo Loading
- Sudden Lanes changing
- Poor road and weather conditions
- Excessive Speed
- Substandard Maintenance
- Driver error
Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents occur due to sudden braking or loss of traction, leading to the truck’s loss of control and potential collisions with other vehicles or objects on the road, posing risks to the truck driver, other motorists, and property. This happens when the front of the truck and the part behind it swings out, forming a 90-degree angle.
Wide Turn or “Squeeze Play” Accidents
Squeeze play or wide turn accidents happen when a car tries to pass or drive alongside a truck making a right turn. As the truck moves left, the car driver may attempt to go past, thinking they’re just changing lanes, but they end up getting squeezed between the truck’s trailer and the curb. The driver’s lack of focus on the road is the primary factor in this type of truck collision.
Underride Accidents
An underride accident happens when a passenger vehicle crashes into the side or back of a tractor-trailer and slips below.
Truck drivers often cause side underride collisions when they cross. Motorists may not see the truck coming due to low truck vision. In rear underride crashes, a passenger vehicle can collide with the back of a semi-trailer.
T-Bone Accidents
T-Bone collisions are terrifying. It occurs when one driver slams into another vehicle, resulting in critical injuries or fatalities.
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Blind Spot Accidents
Significant blind zones exist in front, behind, and to the sides of semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles. It occurs when the drivers lack proper training and qualification. Improper mirror alignments, ignoring traffic rules, fatigue drivers, and distracted drivers can cause accidents.
Additionally, the trucking company can also contribute to these accidents.
Truck Tire Blowouts
A truck tire blowout is contributed by various factors. In some cases, the driver bears full responsibility for oversight, while in other instances, the tire itself may be solely responsible for the problem.
Rear-End Truck Accidents
In rear-end accidents, one vehicle’s front bumper collides with the rear end of another, often resulting in catastrophic injuries and property damage when trucks are involved. These rear-end crashes typically happen when a driver suddenly slows down or stops, and the following driver fails to react accordingly.
Head-On Truck Accidents
A frontal collision happens when two cars moving in opposite directions collide head-on. The point of collision for both vehicles is in the front. Quickly reduced speed results in this risky circumstance, such as increased chances of jackknifing, loss of control, or collisions with vehicles following closely.
Tractor-trailer vehicles are far larger and heavier than regular cars; the force of a head-on collision can make these incidents more deadly.
The Impact of a head-on truck crash can cause serious injuries; the victim may sustain even worse damage.
Brake Failure Accidents
In the case of a runaway truck, especially on long descents, a truck driver may lose all of his brakes if he overuses them during an extended descent downhill.
Spilled Cargo Accidents
Properly securing cargo on tractor-trailer rigs is crucial to prevent accidents and cargo spills. Failure to secure the load puts other vehicles on the road in danger. Carriers must properly store and secure the cargo to avoid damage or loss. Furthermore, poorly connected goods present a serious safety risk that could result in mishaps, injuries, or fatalities.
Truck Driver DUI Accidents
Truck drivers are aware that driving while under the influence brings hazards and can result in traffic collisions. If a truck is involved in an accident and you believe that the driver was DUI of drugs or other substances, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages and injuries you sustained. You can bring legal action against the at-fault party, you may be able to obtain compensation for losses and pay accident-related expenses.
Conclusion / Final Thoughts
Truck accidents have severe consequences, including injuries, property damage, and wrongful death. Victims have legal options for representation and seeking compensation. Nordean Law as a truck accident lawyer in California provides free consultation for truck accident victims. Truck accidents pose risks, such as rollovers, jackknifes, wide turn accidents, underrides, T-bones, blindspot accidents, tire blowouts, rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, brake failures, and spilled cargo incidents. Understanding these accidents is important for road safety, victim advocacy, and holding accountable those who are responsible.
