Accidents involving trucks aren’t generally just fender benders or minor collisions; the sheer weight and force of a moving truck can cause severe damage, injuries, and destruction. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in Maryland alone, truck accidents cause approximately 50 deaths a year and over $500,000 worth of damages.

Trucks are big, hard to maneuver, and sometimes uncontrollable. This is why it is imperative to give trucks room to move in case of an emergency which may lead to a traumatic accident.

Forms of Truck Accidents

The most common forms of truck accidents are as follows: 

  • Rollovers – This most common accident type occurs when the truck’s tires fail to grip the road and slide sideways, causing the truck’s trailer to lose balance and topple over.
  • Rear-end, T-bone, and head-on collisions – Generally occur at intersections and can cause a lot of property damage and minor to sever injuries, depending on the speed of the vehicles.
  • Jackknife accident – Generally occurs when the driver brakes suddenly and the trailer either swings sideways or continues going forward while the cab of the truck stops; the force of the moving trailer essentially causes it to create an acute angle with the cab.
  • Malfunctioning air-brakes – Faulty brakes can cause a severe accident when trucks are going downhill. If the brakes malfunction, the force of the trailer pushes the cab and the truck become unstable.
  • Tire blowouts – These can be incredibly difficult to control in a small vehicle—in a truck it becomes virtually impossible. Once the weight of a truck is thrown off by a flat tire, over correcting, or instability, the entire truck becomes dangerously uncontrollable.
  • Under-ride accidents – These are usually fatal since they result from vehicles crashing into the trailer at such speed and force that they become lodged underneath the trailer itself.
  • Lost-load collisions – Often happen as a result of unsecured cargo falling out of the back of the trailer, and either directly hitting another vehicle, or dropping dangerous debris on highways and interstates.

When you’re driving behind, or near a truck, always be careful and alert. Pay attention to any subtle movements that could signal a potential threat and distance yourself from it in order to avoid serious injury.

No matter the type of accident, if you’re injured by a truck or truck driver’s negligence, you deserve compensation, and we’re here to get it for you. Let our experience and vast knowledge in truck accident liability work for you. Contact us today for more information and a free consultation about your claim.

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