Being in any kind of auto accident is dangerous, and can result in serious physical injury and substantial property damage. But if you consider how heavy a commercial truck weighs, it is no wonder that they cause some of the most tragic collisions. Not only is the level of danger raised when in the presence of a large truck, but if an accident does happen it is most often the other driver who gets hurt the most.
Truck crashes are more complicated than your typical accident, as there could be a few at-fault parties that caused the incident to happen. For example, the truck driver may have been operating the vehicle unsafely, the trucking company may have been pushing the driver to skip rest to meet deadlines, the crew may have overloaded the truck, and proper maintenance may not have been done for quite some time.
The most common reasons that trucking accidents occur are listed here:
Malfunctioning Brakes
Many commercial trucks have air brakes, which means they are designed to halt a loaded truck within a hundred feet when going at a rate of 35-40 miles per hour. However, if a failure or malfunction in the air brakes happen, these hefty trucks can turn into a deadly force. The truck driver may have pumped the brakes instead of slamming, which is recommended, but malfunctions can still happen.
Blind Spots
Trucks have a vast “no zone” area which can cause a crash to ensue. There are often warning stickers on the truck rear that say the driver cannot see you if you cannot see their side mirror. These blind spots are the middle areas on both the left and right side, in addition to any cars following too close behind.
Truck Rollovers
A truck driver that loses control of the truck, slides sideways, and comes into contact with an object can cause a rollover. A guardrail, uneven street pavement, a car, or curb could result in tipping over. If the truck driver turned too sharply at a corner, they may roll over and another car can get stuck underneath. Truck rollovers have a high fatality rate, and any other cars nearby may not survive the impact. If any victims do survive, the chances of them walking away unscathed are slim.
Truck accidents can lead to tragedy on the roadway, leaving victims and their families to deal with immense pain, struggle, and financial difficulty. Those who need assistance while in the midst of a serious truck accident are encouraged to call a lawyer, like a Trucking Accident Lawyer from Indianapolis, IN at Ward & Ward Law Firm, as urgently as they can.
