5 Extremely Common Types of Truck Accidents
Trucks are often feared by drivers due to their enormous size and weight. They’re scared that being trampled by one may result in irreversible injuries or worse, maybe even wrongful death. People think that being in an accident involving trucks may result in them incurring catastrophic injuries. However, the data tells a different story.
According to Forbes Magazine, most truck accidents result in property damages, not fatal injuries. But while this may ease some worries most people may have, we contend that people’s fear of trucks on the road is warranted. For one, the cost to repair property damages is far from cheap. It would still be a major disruption to the lives of many people on the road.
Property damages could result in a loss in wages, and with California being a car-centric state, having a car significantly limits their ability to do anything. Not to mention, being involved in a truck accident still puts you closer to the possibility of getting a fatal injury. This traumatic experience alone could mean endless visits to therapy, if you’re lucky enough to survive it.
There are different ways one may experience getting hit by a truck. In this blog, we will delve into five of the most common types of truck accidents. Here are some of them:
Rear-end collisions
Unfortunately, incidents of rear-end collisions are quite common in accidents involving trucks. And those who have to bear the brunt of it usually suffer from much more dire consequences compared to those who just experienced the usual run-off-the-mill auto collision due to the sheer size of trucks.
There are various reasons people end up getting rear-ended by a truck. Because of how tall trucks are, it’s not uncommon for them to have reduced visibility. And if they’re tailgating behind you, there’s a likelihood that they could run you over. If you ever see a truck driving far too close for comfort behind you, change lanes immediately.
T-bone accidents
Also called side-impact or broadside crashes, T-bone accidents involving trucks occur when the vehicle crashes onto one’s side of another vehicle. And in the case in which a truck collides with smaller vehicles like a sedan, the aftermath usually results in irreversible property damages as well as fatal life-altering injuries.
A lot of T-bone accidents occur in intersections, which is why drivers must caution against running the red light especially if the place that they’re driving in is frequented by a lot of truckers. It’s also important for drivers —whether or not they’re driving a truck — to practice safe driving to reduce the likelihood of getting into this specific type of collision.
Jackknife accidents
When the trailer of the truck is misaligned with the cab, potentially causing the driver to lose control of the truck, the truck driver or anyone involved is bearing the brunt of a jackknife accident. As you can only imagine, this exposes those on the road to a sleuth of physical injuries and potential wrongful deaths.
There are several reasons for why such accidents occur on the road. For one, the truck driver may have been speeding. The truck may also be overloaded. It may also be caused by factors outside of the driver’s control including poor road conditions and mechanical issues.
Sideswipe accidents:
Sideswipe accidents occur when the truck brushes into a car or a person’s side while driving. Pedestrians involved in such accidents are prone to life-altering injuries. With no metallic exterior protecting them from the weight of a truck, pedestrians could easily get crushed, which may result in them getting severe brain injury or spine injury.
If a car gets sideswiped by a truck, it usually happens whether either driver switches lanes. It also happens when the car is driving by the truck’s blind spots. While they have higher chances of surviving a sideswipe accident compared to a pedestrian, regular drivers still have a high chance of getting severely injured especially if the truck driver was fatigued, distracted, or inebriated.
Head-on collisions:
If a truck collides with the front-end of another vehicle traveling in a different direction, then it means that both parties have experienced a head-on collision. This type of accident is often cited to be one of the most dangerous as the force of the truck is going towards the driver and the passenger directly. A lot of victims of such collisions end up in a vegetative state —or dead.
Several factors contribute to this, including but not limited to:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigue
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- Drunk driving
- Driving while high
- Improper driver training
- Hazardous road conditions
- Failure to follow traffic rules
Call Omega Law Group
Truck accidents, no matter if it’s a rear-end or head-on collision, are bound to be complicated. So many factors have to be taken into account: what type of insurance do you have? What type of insurance does the other party have?
Navigating such complex cases requires the eyes of an expert who is familiar and well-equipped to take on such cases. But not just any expert. You need the best. You need to hire Omega Law Group.
Omega Law Group consists of highly qualified and skilled experts in matters relating to truck accidents. Their shrewd negotiation and litigation skills have been used to secure over millions of dollars on behalf of their clients who have been in catastrophic trucking accidents.
Their commitment to their client and providing quality legal services for them haven’t gone unnoticed by industry-vetted organizations like Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. They also gained recognition from prestigious publications like the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Business Journal.
They made headlines in the latter publication for their innovative integration of A.I. technology to streamline their caseload, demonstrating their tenacity in improving their client service. Yet in spite of the accolades they’ve accrued so far, they remain steadfast in their mission of providing their clients with equitable yet quality legal services by operating on a contingency-fee basis.
This ensures that clients don’t have to be burdened with upfront legal fees. Schedule a free consultation now to learn more!