According to the Department of Transportation, there are nearly half a million commercial truck accidents a year with around 50,000 fatalities. The fatalities are higher when trucks are involved as opposed to passenger cars as they weigh up to 80,000 pounds while the average passenger car weighs only about 4,000 pounds.
There are many different types of truck accidents which depend on the truck itself, its size and the driver. The most common is the rollover accident, which are usually caused when a truck tries to take a turn or drive round a curve in the road at too high a speed. Rollovers may also happen when a truck driver tries to over correct a drifting trailer.
Jackknife accidents happen when the truck spins around and is usually caused by the truck’s axle brakes locking up, which causes the trailer to skid out of control. This can also be caused by ice on the road or some type of equipment failure.
The third type of accident happens when there is a tire blowout, usually caused by improper maintenance, an overloaded trailer, or poor road conditions. If a tire blows out, trucks can be very hard to control and can often lead to a severe accident.
Finally, collisions, especially rear end collisions which are either caused by malfunctioning brakes or by the driver being distracted and not paying attention to the road ahead.
If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.
