Why Do Truck Accidents Often Result in Serious Injuries?

When another vehicle is involved in an accident with a truck, it can leave behind some devastating consequences. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported nearly 160,000 truck crashes in the United States in 2023, including almost 75,000 injuries and 5,000 deaths. Why do truck accidents result in serious injuries?

Everything from the weight of the truck to cargo shifts can lead to serious and often fatal situations. Here are few factors for why these crashes can result in tragic consequences.

The Size and Weight of the Truck

One of the biggest factors contributing to the severity of truck accidents is the size and weight. There is a major disparity between trucks and passenger vehicles. For example, fully loaded commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. However, the average passenger vehicle only clocks in at around 4,000 pounds.

Those differences can mean more severe injuries when these vehicles collide. In a collision, the smaller vehicle absorbs most of the impact. Remember the laws of physics. When there is more mass of the colliding object, more force is transferred. As a result, that can lead to devastating damage to smaller vehicles and their occupants.

Height Issues

Trucks are designed with a higher ground clearance than standard vehicles. While this can help with heavy loads and uneven terrains, it is a major safety risk in accidents. In these cases, the smaller vehicle will slide underneath a truck’s trailer, which is known as an underride accident. Unfortunately, injuries to the smaller vehicle’s passengers are often catastrophic or fatal. Even though underride guards are on the market, not all trucks are equipped with them.

Longer Stopping Distances

When a fully loaded truck has to stop, it requires more time and distance than stopping a car, especially at highway speeds. Other factors, such as the weight of the cargo, road conditions, and brake maintenance, directly impact a truck’s ability to stop safely. When trucks cannot decelerate in time, that’s when collisions occur with tremendous force. In turn, other vehicle occupants can suffer serious injuries.

Large Blind Spots

Large trucks have huge blind spots, or “no-zones,” on all sides. These blind spots are larger than those of passenger vehicles. They can be found in the front, behind, and on both sides of the truck. Sometimes, small vehicle drivers may put themselves in one of these spots. As a result, they are almost invisible to trucks. When truck drivers change lanes or make wide turns, they can collide with vehicles they cannot see.

Cargo-Related Risks

The cargo of the truck can also play a role in an accident. If there is any improperly loaded or unsecured cargo, that can shift during transit. In turn, it can cause the truck to lose balance and tip over. This is dangerous on curves or when the truck travels at high speeds.

Also, trucks carrying chemicals or flammable substances can result in more dangerous situations. Spills can lead to fires, explosions, or toxic exposure. All of that can result in injuries to accident victims and first responders.

Driver Error

Many times, truck drivers work long hours under tight deadlines. That can increase the likelihood of fatigue. When a driver is tired, it impairs judgment, reaction times, and the ability to make quick decisions. While there are regulations, such as the Hours of Service (HOS) rules, designed to limit the number of hours a driver can work, violations still occur. Other driver errors, such as distracted driving or substance use, increase the risk of accidents and the severity of injuries in a crash. When you add speed into the equation, it can be a recipe for disaster.

Preventing Severe Accidents

Many of these incidents are the result of negligence, which can lead to the possibility of legal actions like personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death claims.

Fortunately, there are a few measures that can be taken to reduce the severity of these crashes, such as:

• Using advanced safety technologies, such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems, lane departure warnings, and electronic stability control, to reduce accidents or minimize their impact.
• Educating the public about the dangers of driving in a truck’s blind spots and the importance of maintaining a safe following distance can improve road safety.
• Investing in better road designs, such as dedicated truck lanes and improved signage, to decrease the likelihood of collisions.

Physical, mechanical, and human factors often play a role in the seriousness of a truck crash. Often, these accidents leave other drivers and their passengers with life-changing, and even fatal, injuries.

If you or a family member have been impacted by a truck accident, you can take steps to get compensation. At Trucking Injury Law Group, we can help you hold these dangerous drivers and their employers accountable for their actions. Find out how our truck accident lawyer can assist in Las Vegas.