Common Types of Truck Accidents and How They Occur

The impact of a truck accident can be devastating. There are many ways that truck accidents occur. But any large truck crash can leave victims with serious and sometimes life-threatening injuries. A serious truck accident injury may require weeks or months of medical care and considerable loss of income.

If you’ve been injured in a serious accident caused by a semi-truck, turn to Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for experienced guidance. Since 1999, our Indianapolis truck accident attorneys have asserted the legal rights and interests of injury victims throughout the state and the Midwest. While every case stands on its own, our client testimonials speak to our firm’s track record of obtaining the full compensation our clients need.

We’ve been honored to receive recognition for the results we’ve obtained on behalf of our clients, including holding the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating, a 10.0 Superb Rating on Avvo, and being selected for the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum to recognize our firm’s record of securing significant compensation for our clients.

Call us or contact us online today for a free initial case evaluation to learn more about your options for seeking compensation for your injuries and losses. We’re ready to answer your questions and help you understand the best path forward. Our firm has five office locations across Indiana to serve clients.

Commercial trucks including 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and other specialized trucks represent a small percentage of all vehicles on the road. But they account for a disproportionate share of serious crashes and fatal accidents due to the difference in size and weight of large trucks and automobiles. An accident involving a large truck can cause devastating injuries to the occupants of the smaller passenger vehicle.

The common types of truck accidents include:

Jackknife accidents

A jackknife accident refers to a truck crash in which the truck cab and trailer fold in together at the joint where the trailer is attached to the cab. The motion looks like the folding of a pocketknife, which gives the accident its name. A jackknife accident can cause significant damage to other vehicles on the road since the truck driver typically has lost control of a truck in a jackknife accident. Both the cab and trailer may swing wildly, colliding with other vehicles on the road.

Jackknife accidents are typically caused by:

• Speeding— A driver traveling at highway speeds may slam on the brakes in an emergency, causing the trailer to swing out of line with the cab and jackknife.
• Tight curves—Curves taken at high speed increase the risk that the driver may lose control and jackknife a truck.
• Slippery road conditions—The tires on the trailer may lose traction in snow, icy conditions, or heavy rain, causing the trailer to swing out to the side.
• Mechanical failure—Mechanical issues such as brake or tire failure can trigger jackknifing

Rear-end accidents

Large trucks are frequently involved in rear-end accidents. Because of their weight, tractor-trailers and semi-trucks take much longer distances to stop than smaller vehicles. A rear-end truck accident may occur when traffic slows down or stops unexpectedly on the highway. Given the size of a commercial truck, a rear-end collision can impart severe forces on the occupants of the vehicle that is struck.

Rear-end truck collisions often occur due to:

• Truck drivers following the vehicle in front too closely
• Speeding, which reduces the time that a truck driver has to react when the truck driver notices that the vehicle in front is braking
• Distracted driving, including texting-while-driving
• Drowsy or fatigued driving, which can slow a truck driver’s reaction times and impair judgment
• Brake failures, which may be caused by deferred or improperly performed maintenance. Brake failure may also be caused by design or manufacturing defects
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Road construction, which often causes slowdowns, lane mergers, and stop-and-go traffic
• Gridlock traffic, which may cause a rear-end collision if the truck driver doesn’t realize traffic ahead is stopped until too late

Underride collisions

An underride collision represents one of the most dangerous types of truck accidents. An underride collision involves another vehicle getting caught under the side or back of a truck trailer. The height of many truck trailers means that underride accidents put the occupants of the other vehicle involved at risk of fatal head injuries and traumatic brain injury.

Underride collisions often occur due to:

• Trucking company negligence
• Low visibility, including nighttime driving, low lighting, and/or heavy precipitation or fog
• Inadequate brake maintenance, including broken truck brake lights that fail to warn other drivers that the truck is stopping
• Lack of underride guards, which can help prevent smaller vehicles from sliding under a trailer in a collision
• Defective underride guards can break in a collision

Blindspot accidents

Commercial trucks have large blind spots that can extend for dozens of feet in front of and behind the truck, down the entire length of the sides of the truck trailer.

Although truck drivers can use mirrors or cameras to help monitor the traffic around the truck, blind spot accidents still occur with alarming frequency.

The common causes of blind spot accidents include:

• A truck driver’s failure to check their blind spots, often by using blind spot mirrors or cameras
• Failing to signal before lane changes or turns
• Following a truck too closely
• Cutting off a truck

Head-on collisions

Truck accidents involving head-on collisions often cause fatal injuries. The force of impact is multiplied in a head-on collision.

The reasons that large trucks may be involved in head-on collisions include:

• Navigating tight blind curves–The truck driver may need to veer into the oncoming lane to make the turn but be unable to see if any vehicles are coming
• Distracted driving—A big rig may drift across the center line into an oncoming lane of traffic while a truck driver is distracted and not focused on driving. A distracted truck driver may swerve suddenly to avoid a traffic hazard, potentially steering into the path of an oncoming vehicle
• Drowsy driving—A drowsy driver may let a vehicle drift out of their lane and into the path of oncoming traffic
• Alcohol and/or drug intoxication—Drugs including over-the-counter medications and alcohol can affect a truck driver’s judgment and cause the impaired driver to take the wrong turn and enter an interstate traveling the wrong direction, resulting in a head-on collision.

T-bone accidents

In a T-bone truck accident, the front of the truck collides with the side of the other vehicle, with the two vehicles forming a “T” shape at the moment of impact. The forces of a T-bone truck accident can cause life-threatening injuries for the occupants of the vehicle being T-boned.

The common causes of T-bone accidents include:

• Failing to yield the right of way
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Low visibility due to nighttime, low lighting, heavy rain, or fog
• Poorly maintained truck brake systems
• Blind intersections, which may leave a truck driver unable to see any cross-traffic

Poor maintenance/defective parts

If a driver loses control of a big rig due to poor maintenance or defective parts in the vehicle, the faulty part may cause a serious collision. Common points of failure on a truck include the brakes, steering column, lights, and tires.

Poor maintenance may be caused by a trucking company’s decision to defer maintenance to cut costs.

Tire blowouts

When a truck experiences a tire blowout, it can cause the truck driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Tire blowouts usually occur for one of the following reasons, such as:

• Worn tires, including worn treads, put the tire at risk for a tread separation
• Improper inflation of tires
• Exceeding cargo weight limits
• Road debris, which can puncture a tire
• Design or manufacturing defects

Types of Trucks Involved in Accidents

Many different types of commercial trucks are involved in collisions, including:

• Semi-trailer trucks, an articulated vehicle also known as a tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler, or big rig.
• Extra duty trucks, which haul overweight or oversized items. Operating these trucks requires special training and licensing beyond the standard CDL
• Tanker trucks, which haul hazardous gases and liquid and require additional driver training
• Flatbed trucks that have improperly secured cargo
• Garbage trucks
• Concrete trucks
• Dump trucks
• Panel trucks, which have an enclosed cargo area fixed to the body of the truck cab.

Talk to an Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorney Today

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Indiana through no fault of your own, contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced truck accident attorneys.

We’ll review the circumstances of the accident and explain whether it’s the type of accident that our law firm handles. If so, our firm is ready to guide you through the process of pursuing financial compensation for the harm and losses you’ve suffered due to your injuries. Give us a call at (800) 746-0226 or contact us online today.

Testimonial

“The law firm, Craig, Kelley, and Faultless LLC have been a great company to work with. They have worked closely beside me for over a year now and have always been polite, courteous and always keeping me informed. I would highly recommend this law firm to anyone.”

Review by: Jim D.
Rating: ★★★★★ 5 / 5 stars