Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can be devastating to an accident victim and their entire family. Given the size and weight of a truck, even at a low impact, a truck accident can be catastrophic. Truckers are under increased pressure by trucking companies to meet company deadlines. This pressure usually contributes to driver fatigue, intoxication by substances used for sleep deprivation, and being in too much of a hurry to properly maintain the trucks themselves. For innocent motorists in their path, this can be a recipe for disaster.

Truck Accident Types
Delivery Truck Accidents: Delivery trucks, due to their size and shape, often have obstructed views. This limits their ability to see other drivers, resulting in accidents. Delivery truck drivers may also pull over in restricted areas or double-park on city streets with their flashers on, to deliver their goods. Unfortunately, this habit causes an obstacle course for traffic and may result in an accident. For the innocent pedestrian, this can prove deadly as the view from oncoming traffic is restricted and often a vehicle is unable to stop until it is too late. Delivery truck drivers have a duty to drive responsibly on the roads and to avoid dangerous and sometimes deadly collisions with other motorists.

18 Wheeler Accidents: 18 Wheeler Accidents have increased at an alarming rate each year. 18 Wheeler Accidents can result from unsafe driving, oversized loads and other unsafe practices that put other motorists as well as the truck operator in danger. There are three primary causes of 18 Wheeler Accidents: (1) Jack-Knife Accidents - A jack-knife truck accident can be catastrophic for all who come in contact with the truck, including the truck driver. A jack-knife is when a truck with a tractor goes into a skid and the trailer swings out and stops to form a 90 degree angle. Jackknifing usually occurs when the drive wheels lock while the front wheels and the trailer keep rolling forward. A jack-knife can cause multi-car pile-ups, which often result in many fatalities. (2) Unsecured Loads - When equipment or loads are not properly secured, they can shift or fall off the vehicle. This can cause an obstacle course of debris for other vehicles. When a truck driver changes lanes or turns the unsecured load, the inside of a trailer can shift and cause the vehicle to lose control. The driver, truck owner, and the manufacturer can all be held responsible for putting innocent people in harm's way. (3) Wheel Blow Outs - When the tire tread on a truck becomes old or is defective, a blow out can occur. A blow out can result in an immediate loss of control, such as when the back end of the truck begins to fishtail. When this occurs, the truck can flip or go airborne, causing a rollover. A blowout can also cause the truck to stop abruptly, which could result in a pile-up behind it.

Truck Rollovers: Truck rollovers have increased at an alarming rate on our highways. A truck's size and the way in which the weight is distributed inside, can contribute to unstable conditions. Passing cars often suffer the majority of the injuries and devastation during a truck roll over. Truck rollovers can at times be caused by driver negligence, but most often a truck rollover is the result of a design flaw, a defective tire or an improperly secured load. Tire tread separation, blowouts, or other tire defects can cause catastrophic injuries and even death. Sport Utility Vehicles ("SUVs") are very popular with families today, even with the high gas prices. Due to this increase in popularity, we have seen an increase in accidents. Of which, close to 63% of all deaths occur from a rollover. The majority of rollover crashes occur when a vehicle runs off the road and flies over a ditch or hits a curb. The major factor in rollover accidents is in the lack of stability of the vehicle itself. The National Highway Transportation Safety Association has developed rollover resistance ratings. They have reported that taller, narrower vehicles such as SUVs are more likely to roll once they leave the roadway.