What Makes a Truck so Dangerous?
The biggest risk to others on the roads and highways is the size and weight advantage that a big rig has over just about everything out on those roads. Passenger cars and trucks, cyclists, and pedestrians all have certain risks that are associated with these big commercial trucks, some of which are:- Blind Spots: The bigger the truck, the more blind spots there are, and the bigger they are. This makes it risky for anyone around a truck who isn’t vigilant.
- Difficulty Stopping: It takes a truck almost twice the distance to stop than a typical passenger vehicle. Where most vehicles can avoid an accident, sometimes a truck’s weight and size make that impossible.
- Right, Hook: When a truck turns right, it has to swing out to the left to make room for the back tires. Many times a car or a cyclist will enter the open space thinking the truck is going to turn the other direction and get crushed.
- Lane Changes: When a truck changes lanes, it’s blind spots become an issue, and a truck needs a lot of room to safely execute the move.
- Driver Mistakes: Truck drivers suffer from fatigue, distractions and sometimes they have problems with impairment. While statistically low, any one of these can be the cause of an accident.
Commercial Trucks and Liability
In California, each driver has to have a minimum coverage of $15,000 for bodily injury and $30,000 for each accident making it one of the lowest coverage requirements in the U.S. This doesn’t cover all the bills and damages for many accidents, but when a commercial truck driver is at fault, then the law requires the truck to be insured for much higher amounts. While no one wants to get into an accident, this does allow for more of the losses to be compensated. By federal and state laws, smaller trucks with lighter loads are required to have around $300,000 in coverage, while larger trucks with hazardous loads can be required to carry up to $5 million. Most truck policies are in the $750,000 to $1 million range of coverage.Types of Truck Accident Injuries
At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we understand how serious an accident with a truck can be, and we have helped many victims recover financially from a collision with a big rig. We know that each accident is different, and the injuries that the victim endures can make a significant difference in how the claim is handled. We don’t have a one size fits all approach when making a claim for compensations, rather we look at how the victim’s injury will impact him or her now and in the future. Over the years we’ve helped clients with many types of injuries from a truck accident, and some of the more common those are:- Blunt Force Trauma
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Broken/Displaced Ribs
- Compound Fractures
- Chest Compressions
- Organ Damage
- Nerve Damage
- Internal Injuries
- Deep Lacerations/Bleeding
- Airbag injuries
