It is no secret that commercial trucks are commonly in accidents, which occur on a daily basis on U.S. roads. What is less known, however, is the sheer number of truck-related accidents that happen each day. One such accident occurred on South Carolina’s I-385 ramp and included a tractor-trailer that flipped over and slammed into a Ford Taurus, according to news reports.
Trucking Accidents: More Danger
Large commercial trucks can weigh 10,000 lbs. or more. When these massive vehicles collide with pedestrians or other passenger cars, a trucking accident has occurred. Approximately 500,000 trucking accidents occur every year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). One in eight traffic deaths involves a trucking accident.
The presence of these large commercial vehicles on the road is certainly not diminishing, as commercial trucking business revenues are forecasted to amount to almost $12 billion this year, making driving more dangerous for cars, vans, SUVs, and anyone else on the road. Because a truck accident can be much more catastrophic due to the fact that trucks can weigh as much as 25 times more than a personal-use vehicle, a knowledgeable Charleston trucking accident attorney should be contacted if you or someone you know has been injured.
The significant disparity in weight and height of a truck compared to a passenger vehicle, coupled with the difficulty in maneuvering such a large motor vehicle when a crash occurs, makes for a lethal combination. While truck drivers are statistically more careful than average everyday drivers – mostly because the government requirements for a commercial driver’s license are more stringent than for a regular license – the cargo load alone carried by a truck involved in a crash, which may include flammable or hazardous materials, could enhance the danger.
Not All Accidents Are the Same
Driving a commercial truck on the road and highways creates special dangers that aren’t present in personal-use vehicle crashes. These may include:
- Turning Accidents – When an auto accident involving a truck occurs, it is sometimes difficult to prove negligence. Turning a commercial truck is difficult, often requiring two lanes to maneuver successfully, and a clear case of negligence does not always exist.
- Jackknifing – Usually, a jackknife occurs when a sudden braking of a truck causes the tractor of a truck to swing out and stop at a 90-degree angle from the truck, plowing through all property and people in the trailer’s way before coming to a complete stop. Unforeseeable events such as slipperiness of the roadway, a sudden turn, or an abrupt stop in traffic ahead may release the driver and any defendants from liability.
Contact Charleston Truck Accident Attorney
If you or someone you know has been injured – or someone has been killed – in a truck accident, contact an experienced Charleston truck accident lawyer today. Don’t face this alone. Have an advocate on your side fighting for your legal rights to compensation that you may deserve under the law. The attorneys at Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy & Early LLC have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of injured clients.