One of the most common types of traffic accident among all vehicles involves rear-end collisions. According to federal data, accidents involving semi-trucks are usually rear-end collisions. These usually happen when the front of a large truck rear ends a car or any other vehicle ahead of it. In cases of these semi-truck accidents, you’ll want to talk to a personal injury attorney.
Despite darkness playing a major role in these accidents, more than 80% of rear-end collisions involving large trucks occur during the day. Fatal rear-end crashes that result in death are likely to happen in dark or low light conditions. When a car rear-ends a semi or any other big truck, there are high chances that the results will be fatal.
Reasons Why Semi-Trucks Cause Rear End Collisions
The extent of the damage caused in rear-end collisions will be determined by the momentum created by the force of the collision. Therefore, heavy vehicles or vehicles traveling at high speeds will cause more damage in an accident than a lighter or slower vehicle. With many logistical challenges that semi-trucks have, it can become difficult for a driver to avoid an accident.
Because of their weight, semi-trucks can become difficult to maneuver and will require greater time and distance for them to come to a complete stop. The truck’s long blind spots may pose a challenge to the driver’s awareness of the surrounding traffic. Trying to overcome this challenge may cause distractions to the driver causing the truck to rear-end the one in front.
The damage caused by semi-trucks in rear-end collisions is mostly severe than that caused by lighter and smaller vehicles. Loaded semi-trucks increase the severity of accidents compared to unloaded ones. This is why heavy commercial trucks have higher minimum insurance requirements to cover for their liability. Some of the reasons why trucks cause rear-end collisions are:
Distracted Driving
As mentioned before, a truck's long blind spots can cause a distraction to the driver. Other things like eating, drinking, or texting shift the driver's mind from the road and risk causing a rear-end collision with another vehicle.
Malfunctioning Brakes
Because of their weight, trucks take longer to slow down and stop. Brakes are likely to malfunction if they have been depowered to save money, or they are in need of repair. A truck using the road with faulty brakes pose a risk if they malfunction, with victims paying a horrible price.
Fatigue
Long distance truckers drive for long hours without taking a rest. This can result in fatigue and worse still cause the driver to sleep. A driver who has fallen asleep at the wheel of their vehicle poses a grave danger to other motorists if they fail to stop or slow down, causing disastrous results.
Contacting a Personal Injury Attorney
Belal Hamideh Law ensures that semi-truck accident victims receive their rightful compensation when injured in rear-end collisions. With experienced truck-accident lawyers, we can negotiate and litigate personal injury claims in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area. You can contact us at (888) 277-6122 for our Long Beach office or (213) 335-6282 for our Los Angeles office. Alternatively, you can visit Belal Hamideh Law online to schedule your free consultation with a personal injury attorney today.