Every year, thousands of victims suffer life-changing injuries in commercial truck accidents. Getting into any type of accident involving a large truck can be highly dangerous due to the size and weight of the average big rig. However, experienced Pittsburgh truck accident lawyers have handled various truck accident cases and know certain types are more often connected to serious and fatal injuries than others.
Jackknife Accidents
A jackknife accident describes a truck that has folded in on itself in a formation that is similar to the shape of a jackknife. In this scenario, the trailer gets stuck in a position at an angle to the cab. A truck driver cannot control or steer a jackknifed truck, making its movements unpredictable. The truck may slide into other vehicles or rollover. A driver braking too hard can cause a jackknife accident.
Rollover Accidents
A truck rollover accident can crush smaller vehicles, their occupants, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians beneath the truck – often resulting in fatalities. Rollovers can occur due to improper truck driver techniques, such as slamming on the brakes, jerking the steering wheel or speeding around a curve. Improper cargo loading and an imbalanced load can also contribute to a truck rollover accident.
Underride Accidents
An underride accident describes a smaller motor vehicle getting wedged beneath a large truck. This type of accident can be catastrophic, as the trailer of the truck may shear off the top of the passenger car and inflict devastating head and upper body injuries on the vehicle’s occupants. Underride accidents can occur when a passenger car driver rear-ends a large truck or crashes into the side of a trailer.
Override Accidents
An override accident is when a large truck rolls up and over a smaller vehicle in a collision. This may result from a truck driver failing to pay attention to the road and crashing into the back or side of a smaller car. Override accidents often cause severe injuries and property damage, including occupants in the smaller vehicle getting trapped or crushed beneath the truck.
Tire Blowout Accidents
Despite having 18 tires, a single blowout can be enough to cause a loss of vehicle control. When a tire unexpectedly pops or explodes, it can make it impossible for the truck driver to remain in control of the truck. This could cause a serious accident. Pieces of the blown-out tire can also pose a hazard to other drivers on the road.
Fatigue-Related Accidents
Truck driver fatigue is a common problem due to the nature of the job. Truck drivers may suffer from drowsiness or fatigue due to long work hours, boredom, odd sleeping schedules and health problems such as sleep apnea. Violating hours-of-service regulations also increases the risk of truck accidents caused by driver fatigue. These collisions can cause serious injuries, as a drowsy truck driver may not touch the brakes before crashing into another vehicle.
Cargo Spills
Cargo loads can spill into the road and cause vehicles traveling behind the truck to crash. Falling objects may smash through another car’s windshield, for example, or force a driver off the road to avoid a collision. If a large truck is carrying hazardous materials, such as flammable gases or liquids, a cargo spill could result in a disaster such as a fire, explosion or toxic exposure. This can cause substantial environmental damage and harm to people in the vicinity.
If you or a loved one was injured in any type of truck accident in Pittsburgh, contact our Pittsburgh personal injury lawyers for a free consultation.