4 Types of Truck Accidents That Can Cause Serious Injury

 Posted on January 03, 2017 in Personal Injury

Semi-trucks are a major threat on the road. These trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Passenger cars that are hit by trucks are no match for the size and weight of a semi-truck. Truck accidents can also cause serious injuries to those in passenger cars.

The four most common types of truck accidents include the following:

1. Rollover Accidents – These are the most common truck accidents and occur when a tractor-trailer rolls over or onto its side. This accident can happen when a truck is on a sharp curve and is going too fast. Rollover accidents also occur when a driver over corrects the steering wheel.
   
   A rollover accident could be caused by high wind and an empty truck container. When a rollover accident occurs, the cars driving nearby are at risk of being hit or at risk of running into the truck if it rolls over into another lane of traffic.

2. Rear-end Accidents – Trucks are especially prone to not being able to brake in time, and therefore run into stopped cars. Sometimes these accidents can be caused by a brake malfunction. Brake malfunctions can be a product of a faulty brake itself or improper maintenance or repair.
   
   Other times rear-end accidents are caused by driver error. Perhaps the driver was looking at a cellphone or was fatigued due to long hours behind the wheel.
   
   Trucks hauling a full load take 20-40 percent farther to stop than passenger cars. If the road is wet, the distance needed increases. This is one of the reasons why rear-end collisions involving semi-trucks happen so often.

3. Jack-knife Accidents – This type of accident is unique to trucks. These accidents happen when a truck’s axle brakes lock up. This creates a very unsafe condition and causes the truck to skid.

4. Tire blowout – Tire blowouts can result in a truck accident because a blowout makes the truck harder to steer and control. Tire blowouts can be caused by improper maintenance, a tire defect, or poor loading.

Contact a DuPage County Truck Accident Attorney

After being in a car accident with an 18-wheeler, it is important to seek the advice of a skilled personal injury lawyer who is familiar with trucking accidents. Special rules and regulations govern the operation of trucks and knowledge of these laws is needed in order to get accident victims full compensation. Contact the DuPage County truck accident lawyers at Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices. For a free consultation, call 630-932-9100.

Sources:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=062500050HCh%2E+18C&ActID=1815&ChapterID=0&SeqStart=167700000&SeqEnd=191500000

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks