The Most Common Types of Truck Accidents That Lead to Injuries

Crashes involving tractor-trailers, semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles are unfortunately common on the nation’s highways and local roads. Due to their size and weight, trucks are more prone to certain types of accidents than are passenger cars. What’s more, the resulting injuries can be far more severe, both to the truck driver and to the occupants of other vehicles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accidents involving trucks constituted 7.5 percent of the total number of accidents in 2020 but accounted for 15 percent of total fatalities. In addition, collisions involving trucks usually do more harm to the passengers of smaller vehicles. For every 10 people who died in truck-related accidents, seven of them were riding in cars, SUVs or motorcycles.

Here are some of the most common types of truck accidents and their causes:

• Blown-out tires — Even well-maintained tires can experience blow outs if they are punctured, unevenly inflated or subjected to excessive loads. Flying debris and swerving across lanes are just two possible outcomes.
• Rollovers — These occur when a truck loses its balance and ends up on its side or upside down. The most common of these accidents are tripped rollovers, in which a vehicle leaves the roadway and hits soft soil or an object like a curb or guardrail.
• Underride accidents — A smaller car may end up under a truck after a collision, such as when a truck stops short and is rear-ended by a car. This type of accident has a high level of fatality and injury for occupants of the smaller vehicle.
• Jackknifing — If a tractor-trailer’s cargo section swerves to either side while the cab goes straight ahead, the two parts of the vehicle can fold together. A jackknife may be caused by the vehicle skidding due to bad weather, poor road conditions or malfunctioning brakes.

Determining the details of a truck accident is important to allocating fault and responsibility for compensation of victims.

Some of the fault may lie with the loader of the truck’s cargo. Uneven and/or improperly secured loads put trucks at heightened risk of a crash. Poorly stacked or excessive cargo increases the possibility of a truck jackknifing or rolling over. In addition, loose items can fall off of a truck, creating roadway hazards.

Understanding common types of truck accidents and their causes can help in the recovery of damages. If you ever get into an accident with truck, you’ll want to work with an skilled New York attorney to protect your rights and obtain the best possible settlement or verdict.

Goldberg Sager & Associates has deep experience winning compensation for victims of New York truck accidents. For a full evaluation of your potential right to pursue damages, call us at {PHONE} or contact us online to schedule a consultation at our Brooklyn office.