Types of Truck Accidents

While commercial vehicles play a key role in transporting goods across the country, they are also dangerous, posing a lot of risks to other road users. Truck accidents fall under a variety of categories, some of which are unique to commercial vehicles. Read on to learn more about the different types of truck accidents and the potential recovery options for injured parties.

Rollover Accidents 

Rollover accidents can technically occur with any type of vehicle, but they tend to happen most often with taller vehicles. Most of these crashes can be attributed to speeding, sudden lane changes, and swerving and can even be linked to the improper loading of a truck’s cargo. Rollover accidents tend to be very serious, especially when one of the vehicles involved is a commercial vehicle and carrying potentially dangerous cargo.

Underride Accidents 

Underride accidents are a type of truck crash that is unique to commercial vehicles and occurs when a smaller vehicle collides with a truck from the rear or side and slides beneath the larger vehicle. These accidents are extremely dangerous and often end up being deadly for the occupants of the smaller vehicle, which is likely to be crushed under the truck. While many trucks have built-in underride guards that prevent smaller vehicles from sliding underneath, they often aren’t sufficient to prevent this type of crash.

Override Accidents 

Another kind of accident that is unique to commercial vehicles is the override crash. These types of accidents are the opposite of underride crashes, in that a large commercial vehicle collides with a smaller car, riding up over the back and crushing the top. These kinds of collisions often prove catastrophic for the occupants of the smaller vehicle.

Tire Blowout Accidents 

Commercial vehicles see a lot of wear and tear, as they are required to cover thousands of miles. This means that truck parts tend to wear out faster than those on other vehicles, including tires. Tire blowouts can result in a driver losing control of the truck, swerving into other lanes, jackknifing, or even rolling over. Tire blowouts can also cause flying chunks of rubber to strike other vehicles, even shattering windshields.

Jackknife Accidents 

Jackknife accidents occur when something causes a truck’s trailer to swing forward and to the side, creating a sharp angle where the trailer connects to the cab. These kinds of crashes often occur because of increased speeds and steep turns, which can cause cargo to shift, swinging the trailer out to the side. These kinds of accidents are also more likely to occur when the roads are wet or icy.

Unsecured Cargo Accidents 

Commercial vehicles are often required to carry heavy or otherwise hazardous cargo. To help reduce the chance of this cargo causing an accident, federal regulators require trucking companies to comply with strict loading procedures. Unfortunately, not all companies adhere to these rules, using the wrong restraints or failing to comply with weight limits. This can have serious repercussions down the road, making it much more likely that a truck will roll over or jackknife.

Call an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer 

If you were recently injured in a truck accident, please call 954-566-9919 to discuss your claim with one of the experienced Florida truck accident lawyers at Boone & Davis today.

Sources:

 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256782/

nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2022-08/Underride-Crash-Pamphlet_071522_v6a-tag.pdf