A normal passenger vehicle weighs between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds, but a pickup truck or SUV may weigh between 5,000 and 6,000 pounds. When the trailer is empty, a tractor-trailer combination weighs around 30,000 pounds, but when loaded, it may weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Trucks are also taller than automobiles and ride higher off the ground. All of these features make trucks more difficult to manage and make them more likely to cause catastrophic injuries.
Read on to learn the important differences in car accidents and truck accidents, then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 if you have been injured in either type of accident and require a free legal consultation.
The heavier something is, the greater force it exerts when it is struck
Commercial trucks crash with other vehicles with far greater force than two passenger automobiles. As a result of the increased force, there is a larger risk of catastrophic injuries and high medical expenses. Truck accidents also have a higher rate of property damage.
Truck drivers should have a specific type of license and are required to follow special restrictions
Commercial driver’s license — Truck drivers are required to get a specific license known as a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Before obtaining a CDL, drivers must go through a series of stages, and truckers must renew their licenses at the state-mandated intervals.
Federal and state regulations apply to commercial trucks and their drivers. These regulations govern things like how long a motorist may drive without stopping, weight restrictions, and inspection standards, among other things. Violation of these laws prior to a collision might be used to prove the driver’s fault in the accident.
There is additional evidence available in truck accidents
The truck driver’s logbook and information from the vehicle’s electronic data recorder are two significant forms of evidence in truck accidents that do not apply in car accidents. This information can assist an attorney in determining what the truck driver was doing before to the collision, which may support a plaintiff’s compensation claim.
The type of collisions themselves are different
Trucks can produce collisions that would be unthinkable in a collision between two comparably sized passenger cars. If a tractor-trailer abruptly stops in front of an automobile, the car may smash against the trailer’s back end and become stuck underneath it. An underride crash is what this is called. Tractor-trailers also have big blind areas, can jackknife, and have broad turning radius.
These are just a few of the ways they are different. To request a free legal consultation and determine your best way forward, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000.
