I’m Ed Smith, a Loomis truck accident lawyer. Loomis residents know what a concerning experience it can be to travel to other areas of California sharing the road with a lot of big rigs. Interstate 80 is always busy and accidents are common. A big part of the dangers of sharing the road with big rigs is that those in smaller vehicles are much more vulnerable if a collision occurs. The average weight of today’s automobile is around 2,800 pounds while a big rig can be up to 80,000. Understanding the common reasons for accidents with a motor vehicle that are caused by a big rig can make traveling safer for everyone.
Common Accidents Caused by Big Rigs
A collision with a big rig can cause serious injuries due to the truck’s size, force, and momentum. Some reasons for accidents caused by big rigs are as follows:
- Wide turns: Because a big rig requires extra space when turning, the truck can swing into an additional lane when doing so. Vehicles in the way can end up being involved in an accident with the truck’s trailer.
- Underride accidents: One of the deadliest types of accidents, usually, these crashes are caused by motor vehicles but can be caused by truck drivers. It happens when a truck driver makes a sudden stop, has a blowout or mechanical failure. This causes the vehicle behind to slide underneath and generally results in a crushed roof and resulting fatalities.
- Blind spots: Blind spots, where a driver does not have a clear field of vision, are one of the problems in big rigs. Blind spots occur on all sides of a vehicle and are larger along the left and right sides. If a driver stops suddenly or changes lanes, an accident can occur if the trucker does not realize there is another vehicle in one of the blind spots.
- Jackknifing: A big rig can jackknife in bad weather conditions when brakes are applied too quickly, the wrong brakes are used or mechanical failure occurs. This can also happen if a driver is inexperienced. It occurs when the trailer is moving faster than the tractor pulling it. As a result, the trailer slides around at a 90-degree angle. Since this type of accident occurs quickly, other vehicles may have difficulty avoiding a collision.
- Mechanical failure: Truck drivers and their employers are required to perform daily inspections of the vehicle and provide adequate maintenance. When a collision is caused by brake failure, a blown tire or another critical area, an accident can occur.
- Badly secured loads: A load that shifts can cause a driver to lose control of the truck, resulting in a jackknife or rollover accident. Also, an improperly secured load can fall off a flatbed truck, creating a traffic hazard.
Performance Errors
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number one cause of truck collisions is entering another lane at 32 percent. Losing control of the vehicle came in second with 29 percent of the accidents. The third highest reason for truck collisions was rear-ending accidents at 22 percent, where a driver did not or could not stop the vehicle.
Loomis Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Loomis truck accident lawyer. A collision with a negligent truck driver can result in medical bills, the inability to work and other expenses. If you or your loved one was injured, phone me at (916) 921-6400 for friendly and free advice. The toll-free number is (800) 404-5400.
It has been my honor to have helped residents of Loomis and surrounding Northern California for more than 36 years to obtain fair compensation for wrongful deaths and all types of car accidents.
As a Million Dollar Advocates California member, I join other trial attorneys who have obtained an excess of $1 million for a client.
Please visit the following sites to find out what others have said about my legal practice, and look over some of our previous cases.
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_6704485_l-2015
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