Most truck crashes have several things in common. Truck wrecks often occur because a driver, multiple drivers, or other parties were negligent, and they often result in significant injuries. But while there are similarities, there are also differences, including how trucks collide with other vehicles from different angles.
Ten Types of Truck Accidents
Some of the most common types of truck crashes include:
- Jackknife accidents. A pocket jackknife is designed so the blade swivels out from its holder. Similarly, a truck jackknife crash occurs when a semi-truck’s trailer swivels out 90 degrees from the truck’s cab. Jackknife crashes may occur because of wet roads, improperly loaded cargo, or speeding drivers. Truckers lose control of the trailer, and the trailer or the truck’s cab may collide with other vehicles on the road.
- Rollover accidents. Large vehicles such as trucks roll over more easily than passenger cars. Truck rollovers are more likely to occur if a trucker is speeding, a trucker overcorrects the steering wheel, the truck’s cargo is unbalanced, or there are high winds. Rollover accidents can include both single-vehicle and multiple-car crashes.
- Rear-end crashes. Trucks take longer to stop than passenger vehicles, and truckers are responsible for leaving a safe space between them and the vehicle in front of them. A trucker who is speeding, distracted, drowsy, or otherwise fails to maintain a safe distance may crash into the vehicle traveling in front of them and cause a severe crash.
- Head-on collisions. When a vehicle crosses the center line or travels the wrong way on a one-way street or highway ramp, the front of two vehicles can collide. The weight and force of a semi-truck can cause catastrophic damage, especially if either vehicle is traveling at high speed.
- Left-turn accidents. Left-turn crashes often happen at intersections. A side collision may occur when a driver fails to obey a traffic signal or attempts a left-turn without enough time to do so safely.
- T-bone wrecks. T-bone crashes are a type of side-impact accident that occurs when a truck and another vehicle collide in the shape of the letter T. T-bone crashes may be left-turn wrecks or may occur as a truck is going straight through an intersection. Whether the truck hits the other vehicle or the other vehicle hits the truck, the damage may be devastating for the vehicle that collides with the truck.
- Runaway truck accidents. A truck with faulty brakes or that cannot stop because of momentum gathered by speed may cause high-speed collisions with anything in its path.
- Underride accidents. Underride guards protect smaller vehicles from slipping underneath a truck. However, not all trucks have underride guards. If a vehicle gets stuck under a tractor-trailer, the driver and front-seat passengers may be severely injured or killed.
- Reverse accidents. Truckers often can’t see what’s behind them. They risk hitting pedestrians and other vehicles if they fail to follow proper procedures when going in reverse.
- Hazardous cargo crashes. Hazardous cargo isn’t usually a problem unless a collision occurs. When a truck carrying dangerous materials such as gas, oil, flammable material, radioactive material, or poisonous material is involved in a crash, respiratory and other health conditions may occur along with any injuries caused by the collision.
Take the Same Steps After Any Truck Crash
You can begin protecting your legal rights and recovery immediately after any type of truck wreck by:
- Calling the police
- Getting prompt medical care
- Collecting evidence at the scene of the crash
- Watching what you say to insurance adjusters and on social media
- Contacting a Florida truck accident attorney for help
Attorney Coy H. Browning used to work as a Florida State Trooper and has been an attorney for almost two decades. He knows how to determine what caused your truck crash and how to protect your financial recovery. Contact the Browning Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation about your rights and possible compensation.
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