20 Extreme Tractor Trailer Crashes

Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 7:49 am

Tractor trailers are heavy and hard to stop not to mention they are hard to maneuver. Here are 16 pictures and 4 videos of what happens when they can’t stop or try to out maneuver something like a train.

Big trucks are essential vehicles in business and transportation. Being larger than the typical automobile, trucks have the ability to transport large devices, equipment as well as other packages in large quantities. They are vital vehicles particularly for companies that cater to courier services or door to door delivery. Every year, the trucking industry inside the U.S. contributes $21.4 billion to operate on streets and highways.

It is a fact, however, that trucks just like automobiles also get into accidents. Often times they have been held to blame for the road accidents which happen as a result of their large size. However it’s not necessarily right to say that simply because they are referred to as king of the road, the smaller automobiles will always need to make room for them. Although big trucks may be a fault in many accidents, smaller vehicles may also be at fault. Many times smaller automobiles will change lanes quickly in front of a big truck, either in traffic or at a light, causing the big truck to try and stop quicker that it can and resulting in an accident.

Trucks have been involved in many accidents during the past. These include the tractor trailers, semi trucks, small trucks, 18-wheelers, as well as other large freight carriers and passenger vehicles.

Within the United States alone in 2003, more than 4,600 deadly road accidents out of the total of over 58,500 involved big trucks. As outlined by the NCSA, the majority of accidents happened in the rural areas during daytime and on weekdays. On the list of states, California documented the most amounts of vehicle accidents at more than 5,700 while Texas experienced the most fatal accidents involving trucks at 438.

While on the road, trucks are well known for speeding. Figures show that about 27 percent of almost all big truck drivers involved in fatal road accidents experienced at least one speeding conviction during the past. Speeding is a typical cause as large trucks don’t have the ability to stop instantly unlike the smaller automobiles.

You will also find various other factors contributing to truck accidents. These range from inattention of the driver, following other automobiles very closely, mechanical trouble, aggressive driving and insufficient attention to blind spots as well as curves. Minor contributory factors tend to be driver exhaustion as well as truck load.

In Europe, a report on truck accident causes titled The European Truck Accident Causation (ETAC) discovered human error to be a major factor at 85.2 percent. This specifically points to speeding, failure to follow intersection rules and incorrect maneuvering. Road users (75 percent ) and truck drivers (25 percent) were the additional causes.

Victims of road accidents who are suffering injuries have the right to sue the driver or even the company he or she works for. They are able to file a suit against the truck company to seek compensation for his or her injuries or for the death of a loved one. They can use truck accident lawyers for guidance before they take the appropriate action. It’s best that these people consult a lawyer before settling with the company or prior to signing any kind of documents from the company.

A truck accident attorney can assist victims in analyzing the accident and advice them about the legal steps to take should they choose to pursue a case against the driver or the truck company. If there is major proof that the truck is actually to blame for the accident, filing a suit is probably the best way to encourage reform on truck drivers as well as companies using big vehicles to ensure their drivers obtain proper training before they hit the road.

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