Learn 5 Important Facts about Car Underride Crashes with 18 Wheelers

The Texas 18-wheeler accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC remind drivers to remain alert to the dangers of underride accident injuries and fatalities. Remember these 5 important facts to know about car or pickup truck underride crashes with big rigs:

1. Trucks’ High Ground Clearances – Tractor-trailer trucks have extremely high ground clearances in comparison to passenger vehicles. That high ground clearance enables them to safely carry up to 40-ton loads over the variable road conditions they encounter. But it also enables passenger vehicles to travel fully or partially underneath the truck in the event of a high-speed crash, generally resulting in serious or fatal injuries from the underride accident.

2. Rear-Impact Guards – Almost 20% of passenger vehicle collisions with trucks are rear-impact wrecks. The high danger of severe underride accidents has caused the federal government to require rear-impact guards on 18-wheelers. But studies and crash data both reveal that these rear guards are often inadequate to prevent a serious underride accident. Some rear guards do not extend all the way across the back of a truck, and others aren’t strong enough to prevent underride in a high-speed wreck.

3. Side-Impact Crashes – Even though side-impact wrecks occur frequently, especially at night when drivers might not see a poorly lit truck trailer, side-impact guards remain rare on the big rigs. And our Texas 18-wheeler accident attorneys point out that corner-impact and side-impact accidents are just as likely as rear end wrecks to result in dangerous underride due to a truck’s high ground clearance.

4. Severe or Fatal Injuries – An underride accident can crush the roof of a passenger vehicle or separate the upper passenger compartment from the rest of the car or pickup truck. The horrific underride accident can lead to severe brain traumas, neck and spinal cord injuries, and internal traumas, as well as to amputations, crushed or broken limbs, or severe lacerations. Many underride accident are fatal.

5. Difficulty in Obtaining Accident Compensation – The Texas 18-wheeler accident attorneys atDenena Points, PC emphasize that trucking companies and the insurance companies that provide their high-dollar policies have vested interests in protecting their bottom lines from your accident claim. Trucking companies and insurance companies both might have highly-paid, well-trained teams of defense lawyers on call in the event of a serious accident. Their goal is to put the blame for a crash on a passenger vehicle driver and minimize the company’s accident payouts. Texas accident victims and their loved ones need the help of experienced Texas 18-wheeler accident attorneys like Tony Denena and Chad Points to build and win a successful personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Click the link to read about a recent severe rear impact wreck between a van and an 18-wheeler.