Truck Accidents

Because trucks and tractor-trailers sit higher on the road than other vehicles, they have blind spots – or areas referred to as “no-zones.” These blind spots make it more difficult for truck drivers to see smaller vehicles when making turns or changing lanes.

Cargo-related accidents often occur when the cargo is overloaded or not appropriately secured. When the driver of the truck or tractor-trailer makes a sudden stop or loses control, the load spills onto the road. Injuries and harm happen when cars are unable to avoid cargo spillage.

In a truck jackknife accident, the truck cab and its trailer yaws like a folding pocket knife, most often due to sudden braking. Because semi-trucks and tractor-trailers are very heavy, a jackknifing truck usually ends up rolling over, adding to the danger of these accidents.

A “rear-ender” occurs when a truck fails to slow down or stop in enough time to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of it. Often occurring due to brake-failure, reckless tailgating, or distracted driving, the results of rear-ending accidents are often devastating due to the massive size and weight of these trucks.

While less frequently-occurring than other types of truck accidents, head-on collisions happen when a truck driver loses control and veers into oncoming traffic with vehicles not having enough time to avoid a crash.

Rollover accidents happen when drivers lose control of their trucks, whether from speeding, turning too quickly, cargo overload, or tire blowouts.

Side-impact or “sideswipe” accidents often happen at intersections when a truck driver speeds through a red light or stop sign.

An underride accident happens when a truck makes a sudden stop, and the car following behind it is crushed on the underside of the rear of the truck.

When a truck driver fails to accurately calculate the amount of space needed for turning or misses seeing a smaller vehicle as a result of a blind spot (or “no-zone”), the smaller vehicle may be pinned against a road divider or another car.