Types of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents are dangerous and terrifying accidents that endanger the lives of everyone on the roadway. Further, truck accidents occur more often than you realize. If someone else’s negligence leaves you injured in a truck accident, don’t put off consulting with an experienced Georgia truck accident attorney.

Common Truck Accidents

When you think about truck accidents, you likely consider traditional traffic collisions, but truck accidents actually come in a variety of forms. These include the following:

  • Rear-End Truck Accidents – When a truck is fully loaded, it can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, which is many, many times larger than our cars, vans, and trucks. The massive size and weight of semi-trucks translate to longer stopping distances, which can lead to rear-end accidents (if the trucker doesn’t make the necessary accommodations). When a car rear-ends a semi, it can turn into a specific kind of truck accident that’s known as an underride, and that refers to the car crashing forward and wedging itself underneath the truck’s backend. Underrides are just as terrifying and dangerous as they sound.
  • T-Bone Truck Accidents – When a truck driver plows into the side of another vehicle – generally in an intersection – the results tend to be catastrophic. The sheer force of such accidents and the lack of buffer zones on the sides of our cars help to ensure that these accidents are often life-threatening. T-bone truck accidents are often caused by truckers who are attempting to outrun red lights, but fortunately, they are not common.
  • Jackknife Accidents – A truck’s cab and its trailer are connected by a hitch that allows them to move independently of one another. When a trucker takes a curve or an exit too quickly, the two parts can fold in on one another – in much the same way that a jackknife closes. The danger associated with being near a semi that jackknifes on the road is difficult to overstate.
  • Rollover Truck Accidents – Due to their size, weight, and design, big rigs have much higher centers of gravity, which leaves them more vulnerable to rolling over in extremely high winds and when taking curves, corners, or exits too fast. If cargo is loaded improperly into an 18 wheeler, it can shift and cause a rollover accident. Roads made slippery by ice or rain can also contribute to life-threatening rollover accidents.
  • Head-On Truck Accidents – Head-on truck accidents are rare, but they are extremely dangerous. When a trucker barrels headlong into a car, it’s often the result of the trucker crossing into the wrong lane as a result of distraction, exhaustion, or impairment.

Seek the Professional Legal Counsel You Need from an Experienced Forsyth County Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents – regardless of the type – are exceptionally dangerous. If you or someone you love has been so injured, the Cumming truck accident attorneys at Banks, Stubbs & McFarland are fully committed to helping you obtain just compensation. Your case matters, so please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 770-887-1209 for more information today.