Most drivers in Massachusetts have endured the nerve-wracking, knuckle-whitening experience of driving next to a semi-truck on the highway. Many of these experiences have only led to sweaty palms and a temporary lead-foot, but in some instances the outcome has been much worse.
Roughly 500,000 truck accidents happen every year in the U.S., and many of these truck accidents involve a truck colliding with a smaller vehicle at high speeds. Due to the heavy, large size of commercial trucks, many of these accidents result in very serious and even fatal injuries to passengers in the smaller vehicle involved in the crash.
Truck accidents are very dangerous and can cause very serious injuries to everyone involved. Some of the most common injuries that result from truck accidents include traumatic brain injuries and head trauma, bone fractures, amputations, and crush injuries that can lead to death.
Many truck accidents happen very quickly and leave victims wondering how the accident happened in the first place. While not all accidents are caused by unsafe truck drivers, there are several ways that truck drivers may cause serious or fatal accidents. Some of the most common types of truck accidents are a result of truck drivers being too tired to drive safely, truck drivers becoming distracted behind the wheel, not being able to safely operate the commercial vehicle they were assigned to drive, and not inspecting the truck or making necessary maintenance repairs before getting on the road.
It is important for victims of truck accidents to know that they can pursue legal action against the truck driver and trucking company responsible for the accident, especially if negligence was involved such as not repairing the truck or failing to train the driver according to federal safety standards. Victims of trucking accidents should consult a personal injury attorney to discuss their specific case.
Source: E Turbo News, “Be aware of truck accidents when traveling US highways,” June 17, 2013
