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Common Types of Semi-Truck Accidents

Semi-truck accidents can result in severe consequences due to the significant size and weight differences between trucks and passenger vehicles. Common types of semi-truck accidents include jackknife accidents, rollovers, underride collisions, wide-turn crashes, blind spot incidents, tire blowouts, rear-end collisions, and lost cargo accidents. Understanding these scenarios—often caused by driver error, mechanical failures, improper loading, or inadequate maintenance—can help drivers stay vigilant and reduce the risk of an accident on the road. If you’re involved in a semi-truck accident, it’s essential to promptly seek legal assistance from experienced semi-truck accident attorneys who can effectively advocate for compensation and protect your rights.

Getting into a semi-truck accident with the average truck, sedan, van, or SUV can have detrimental effects due to the sheer size and weight difference between the two vehicles.

To avoid a collision or wreck with a semi-truck, it’s wise to know the different types of accidents a semi-truck can be involved in. By understanding common types of semi-truck accidents, Georgia drivers can stay alert on the road and know when to consult a semi-truck accident attorney should an incident occur.

Types of semi-truck accidents include:

Jackknife Accidents

Illustration of a semi-truck driving in the rain. The trailer is swinging out from behind the cab to show an instance of the unit jackknifing. A jackknife accident occurs when a semi-truck’s trailer swings out from behind the cab at a sharp angle, causing the cab and trailer to resemble a folding knife.

Jackknife accidents are typically caused by sudden braking, slippery roads, or improper maneuvering. Because it involves big swings of the long and heavy trailer, a jackknife incident can easily involve multiple vehicles and lead to significant injuries.

Jackknife incidents are most common on slick or icy roads and in incidents involving excessive speeding and improper braking.

Rollover Accidents

Semi-trucks are particularly susceptible to rollovers due to their high center of gravity. Sharp turns, high speeds, improper loading, or hazardous road conditions can cause these trucks to roll over quickly, endangering both the truck driver and drivers and passengers in surrounding vehicles.

Rollovers are common when turning onto an on- or off-ramp, taking winding roads with sharp curves, and other actions that involve a lot of turning.

Underride Accidents

In underride accidents, smaller vehicles collide with a semi-truck and become trapped underneath the trailer. These accidents are incredibly dangerous and often compromise the structure of the smaller vehicle, leading to severe injuries or fatalities for the driver and passengers inside.

Problems that can lead to an underride accident include inadequate trailer lighting (especially at night or in low light), insufficient rear impact guards on the trailer, and following too closely to the trailer.

Wide-Turn Accidents

Semi-trucks require additional space to execute turns safely, especially when turning right.

Wide-turn accidents often occur when truck drivers misjudge their turning radius, fail to see vehicles in their blind spots, or fail to use turn signals properly, leading to dangerous collisions with nearby passenger vehicles.

Blind Spot Accidents

Semi-trucks have large blind spots, sometimes referred to as “no-zones.” When drivers fail to check these blind spots thoroughly, it can result in sideswipe collisions or force passenger vehicles off the road.

Being mindful of these blind spots and avoiding lingering in the blind spots when driving near semi-trucks can prevent accidents.

Tire Blowouts

closeup of a semi-truck's burst tire on a highway Semi-trucks are called 18-wheelers for a reason: they ride on at least 18 tires—some have even more. With so many tires in use on one vehicle, any one of the 18 tires has the potential to blow at some point.

Tire blowouts are dangerous events that can cause drivers to lose control, especially at highway speeds.

A blowout typically results from inadequate tire maintenance, defective tires, overloaded trucks, or debris on the road, leading to potentially catastrophic collisions.

Rear-End Collisions

Due to their massive weight, semi-trucks require significantly more stopping distance compared to smaller passenger vehicles. If truck drivers are distracted, fatigued, or following too closely, they may cause severe rear-end collisions that can lead to extensive vehicle damage and serious injuries.

Lost Cargo Accidents

When cargo is not secured properly, or if the trailer is overloaded with cargo, the cargo can shift during transit and cause the truck to lose control. Usually, this results in the materials inside the trailer spilling out onto roadways.

Lost cargo is not a rare occurrence—there are many headlines from across the nation covering accidents involving dangerous or unusual materials. Just a few of these materials include wine, bees, sardines, money, slime eels, oils, and spilled milk.

When a lost cargo accident occurs, it can lead to multiple-vehicle crashes and severe injuries, especially on busy Georgia highways.

Seeking Legal Help After a Semi-Truck Accident

If you or a loved one has been involved in any type of semi-truck accident, it is crucial to contact a trusted semi-truck accident attorney promptly. Experienced attorneys, like those at Clark, Smith & Sizemore, understand the complex laws governing commercial vehicles and can effectively advocate for your rights, helping you secure the compensation you deserve.

If you or a loved one has experienced a semi-truck accident, let the attorneys at Clark, Smith & Sizemore fight for you.

Regardless of the type of semi-truck accident you have been involved in, the physical and emotional damage sustained can be severe. Our semi-truck accident attorneys understand and want to help you fight for the compensation your family deserves. Our team fights diligently for you as we investigate your case and fiercely represent you on your path to justice. Call us today for a free consultation: 478-254-5040.

Thank you for checking out part 4 of our 6-part series on semi-truck accidents. Stay tuned for our upcoming articles: