Why Are Truck Accidents So Severe?

Truck accidents are usually discussed in a different light than the average auto accident, and for good reason—at all but the lowest speeds, collisions with 18-wheelers or smaller trucks can be disastrous, demanding extensive compensation. This is due to a variety of reasons, but if you have any additional questions, it’s often a good idea to talk to a Phoenix truck accident attorney to learn more.

Mass Differences

Trucks are immense vehicles that can weigh as much as 16 times more than the average car, so in the event of a collision, the force they carry is similarly overwhelming. A truck might sustain only moderate, localized damage in the same collision that completely totals a smaller vehicle or kills its occupants, which heavily shifts responsibility onto the shoulders of truck drivers. Due to this considerable mass, trucks also tend to maintain similar heading and speed throughout an accident, whereas smaller vehicles might suddenly be upended or jerked in a new direction, posing even greater dangers of whiplash and traumatic brain injuries to occupants.

Limited Control

In general, the larger the truck, the less maneuverable and controllable it tends to be. This means that even with experienced, attentive drivers at the helm, a truck may simply be incapable of avoiding or even mitigating a truck accident’s damages, to say nothing of how out-of-control a vehicle can be with an impaired or drowsy truck driver.

Due to this added necessity for rapid reaction times and good judgment calls, Arizona’s commercial driver BAC limits are set at just 0.04%, less than half of what normal motorists are subjected to. Truck drivers are also subjected to frequent drug and alcohol tests at both scheduled and random times of the year to better enforce these limitations; to combat fatigue, drivers are only permitted to drive for certain durations per day, with mandatory breaks and hours of consecutive sleep between shifts. While these regulations are usually effective, truckers can and do recklessly ignore them at times, which can result in an inability to control their vehicle.

Unpredictable Cargo

Almost any cargo carried aboard trucks can potentially contribute to an accident. Flammable, explosive, and toxic freight goods can directly exacerbate the aftermath of a collision; even seemingly harmless cargo, such as a delivery of chairs, both add to the mass of the truck and could pose a risk of being ejected from the truck’s cargo hold, potentially damaging other cars or injuring their occupants.

Recovering From Arizona Truck Accidents

For all the reasons discussed above and more, the victims of truck accidents tend to have extensive damages which demand compensation, whether they be for their vehicle repairs, hospital bills, pain and suffering, or other losses. However, for that same reason, trucker’s insurance companies have a vested interest in deconstructing and devaluing your claim, which is why it’s essential that you talk to one of ELG’s truck accident lawyers in Arizona quickly. Give us a call at (623) 877-3600 to schedule a free consultation with a legal professional, and learn more about how you can recover for your truck accident injuries.