Compared to the average car, semi trucks are immensely heavy and have a high center of gravity. Because of these two characteristics, the car often ends up beneath the semi truck when the two collide in an accident. There are two ways this can happen. The car can collide into the trailer where it lacks an underride guard, and get wedged underneath. This is called an underride truck accident. Alternatively, the semi truck can collide into a car where the truck’s high center of gravity carries it up onto the vehicle and crushes it from the top down. This is an override truck accident.
Both the underride and override accidents are nightmarish occurrences in which the prospects of survival are poor for those in the car. How both of these accidents happen are considered next:
The Underride Accident
The trailer of a semi truck has a single underride guard on its rear. If it’s installed correctly, and if the car hits it near its center, the guard should prevent an underride accident. However, if the guard has a weak design or is weakened from extensive corrosion, it can structurally fail in a collision. In addition, the guard may not hold up when a car strikes it in an off-center collision.
Because there aren’t any guards on the side of a trailer, a car that T-bones the trailer will underride it. During this type of accident, the top half of the car is sheared off while the lower half becomes wedged under the trailer. Occupants in the car’s sheared section have a poor chance of survival.
Sometimes the truck driver is at fault in these accidents because of negligence. If the driver allows mud and grime to buildup over the trailer lights, reflectors, and reflective tape, the trailer becomes invisible at night. If the truck pulls out in front of a motorist in slippery conditions, the motorist in the car is left with no options.
The Override Accident
When a semi truck rear-ends a car at a high-speed, the initial bumper-to-bumper contact with the car does little to protect the car. The truck’s high center of gravity combined with its enormous momentum cause it to push up and over the car while simultaneously crushing the car beneath it. The occupants sitting in the rear seats of the car will likely suffer severe or fatal injuries.
In rear-end accidents, the fault often lies with the driver of the second vehicle coming from behind. However, sometimes the car may cause the accident when it cuts off the truck and leaves it with insufficient room for collision avoidance.
If you were involved in a truck accident in Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C., the Law Offices of John Critzos, II can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us at 844-Take-MyCase or visit our website at www.844TakeMyCase.com.
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