In almost every town, accidents occur regularly and unexpectedly. No one causes an accident willingly. Accidents differ depending on the vehicles involved and their effects.
When an accident occurs, it can change your life completely. One time you could be traveling along the road heading to the city or your home, and within seconds, a truck hits your vehicle and leads to a fatal accident. The recovery process from such an accident could be very complicated and costly. When such befalls you, an Atlanta car accident attorney should be your first resort.
Below, we outline different types of truck accidents and their causes, which is the article’s central focus. Some of these accidents include:
- Underride accidents
- Rollover truck accidents
- Jackknife accidents
Underride Truck Accidents
This accident involves a smaller vehicle and a tractor-trailer whereby the smaller vehicle gets trapped under the tractor-trailer trailer. Such an accident leaves the driver and the passengers of the smaller vehicle with severe injuries. Loss of lives in such a situation is always inevitable. Some of the common reasons why underride accidents occur are:
- Underride guards set to prevent such an accident are not correctly put in place, maintained, or not fixed at all
- Poor vehicle maintenance could include mechanical problems of the vehicles involved
- Unfavorable weather conditions cause the smaller vehicle to lose control and slide under the trailer
- A tractor stopping suddenly, causing the smaller vehicle to run into its back
- The truck’s brake lights fail to work, resulting in the driver of the vehicle behind not know the truck is slowing down
Rollover Truck Accidents
These accidents are mostly experienced when large and heavy commercial trucks roll over, leading to collisions with other vehicles on the road. They are mostly witnessed on highways or busy roads in the towns, and they cause great havoc on such highways.
Severe injuries are associated with these accidents. Rollovers can worsen, especially when the truck involved carries harmful cargo that can spill out on the highway. They are caused by but not limited to the following reasons:
- When the truck is at speed, and the driver tries to stop suddenly
- Truck drivers driving at high speed and the weather is unfavorable, which can cause the truck to lose control
- Unqualified and inexperienced drivers losing control of the truck
- Truck drivers with a vision problem can quickly lose control of the truck
- When the truck is not loaded correctly can tip over on sharp corners
Jackknife Accidents
These accidents happen when the truck’s trailer folds in on itself, drawing the vehicle between the trailer and the truck cab. Such an accident involves severe injuries and fatalities. They mainly occur on highways when vehicles are at high speeds. Some of these reasons cause them:
- Over speeding of the truck
- When the cargo is loaded improperly
- Unqualified truck driver
- Mechanical failure caused by defective parts of the truck
- When the driver is experiencing fatigue
- Dangerous road conditions
- Holding the brakes all at once causing them to lock up
Quick Response to a Truck Accident
Accidents are usually accompanied by severe injuries and, at times, casualties. You cannot run away from the expenses and costs involved with the healing and recovery process after an accident. Thus, there is a need for a quick response whenever an accident occurs. For such quick responses, contact Ponton Law. Your case will be in safe and reliable hands.