Understanding the Seriousness of Truck Accidents in Arizona
A truck and a passenger vehicle that collide will end most often in serious injuries for the passengers in the car. The size, power, and momentum that come with a large commercial truck is a force to reckon with. If a truck is moving at a high rate of speed the intensity of an accident increases substantially.
Explaining The Intensity Of A Truck Accident
When it comes down to it, size does matter. A commercial semi runs approximately 80,000 pounds while a standard passenger vehicle only comes in at a mere 3,000 pounds. When a massive object collides with one that isn’t even 5% of its mass, it is not hard to understand why this spells bad news for the smaller object.
With the fast-paced times we are living in there are many large commercial trucks on the roads. Many factors can negatively impact truck drivers including fatigue, training, weather conditions, blind spots, and even substance abuse. Every year there are approximately 4,000 fatalities and more than 75,000 injuries from accidents that have a large semi involved.
The complexity for the victims when it comes to a truck accident comes in who holds liability. Truck accidents can have multiple parties from the driver, to the company, to the manufacturer of the goods in the truck who may be held liable for damages that result from an accident. It takes a smart, tough, and experienced Arizona truck accident injury attorney to weed through the various parties and find the right path forward for a victim to pursue a successful personal injury claim.
What Are The Main Types Of Accidents That Trucks Are Involved In?
Jackknife accidents are when the truck driver must force a stop and the immense momentum that is being put to a halt cause the wheels on the trailer to lock up and their traction on the roads is lost. The trailer will slide to the side, often taking out many cars it is a path or blocking multiple lanes, and the cab becomes separated in the opposite direction. These accidents are very involved and can cause significant damages to the truck, the roadway, and other cars on the street.- Fires occur often and easily when a fuel line leaks. The vapors don’t need much of a spark to ignite. Because these large trucks have relating large tanks, fires causing an explosion is a very real threat.
- Rollover accidents can happen to any vehicle but those with a higher point of gravity and less stability like a truck pose the most risk. Often, a rollover with a truck is caused by driver error. Speed in combination with inclement conditions on the road is the number one reason why one of these accidents happens to trucks. Speed and sharp turns or winding roads is also a factor that causes rollovers.
- There are many sets of brakes in the design of a truck to help slow down the massive vehicle. Should any fail the truck can become an out of control metal bullet flying down the road. As with any car, trucks need regular maintenance too and when they aren’t checked for proper operating capacity, the safety of the trucker and others on the road is at risk.
Have You Been Seriously Injured In A Truck Accident In Arizona?
The Arizona serious injury attorneys at ELG will help you find the right party or parties to pursue a personal injury claim so you can obtain the compensation you need for your damages.
Don’t hesitate to contact the lawyers at ELG at 623-562-3838 to set up a free consultation at either of our locations in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona to speak with one of our aggressive personal injury lawyers.
