Interstate 5 Crash Involves Tractor-Trailer and Passenger Vehicle
A tractor-trailer collision with a motor vehicle occurred in Sacramento on February 6 near the airport. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the crash occurred around 1:00 p.m. along northbound Interstate 5 near the Airport Boulevard off-ramp. At the time of this report, no information had been released by authorities on injuries that occurred. The CHP is investigating the two-vehicle accident to find out why it happened and to place fault.
Causes of a Tractor-Trailer Collision
Because big rigs are so much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, when they collide with a car or light truck, it does a great deal of damage that can result in serious injuries or fatalities. Some of the reasons tractor-trailer collisions are so dangerous include:
- Blind spots: Because a big rig has blind spots all the way around, especially on the sides, a trucker may move into the next lane without realizing there is a smaller vehicle there.
- Jackknife accidents: A jackknife occurs when a trucker is speeding or carrying a heavy load around a curve or downhill. It can also occur in certain weather conditions or if the driver is inexperienced. A jackknife causes the trailer to swing around to the side, which can impact other vehicles nearby.
- Rollover: Rollovers can occur in any vehicle but are especially dangerous when it causes a tractor-trailer collision. Obviously, any other vehicle near a big rig during a rollover can end up being crushed under the weight.
- Underride/override accidents: A trucker who has brake or steering problems or is speeding or stops suddenly can cause an underride/override accident. This type of tractor-trailer collision is often deadly.
- Poor truck maintenance: One serious hazard occurs when a big rig is parked on the side of the road. This is because, without adequate lighting, another motorist may not see the truck until it’s too late to prevent a tractor-trailer collision.
- Wide turns: Because of the size and weight of a big rig, the vehicle often needs extra room to make a turn. This can easily cause a tractor-trailer collision by slamming into another vehicle.
Using a Personal Injury Lawyer to Obtain Damages
Big rigs are governed by state and federal regulations that dictate driving hours and rest breaks as well as keeping a log. In addition, the vehicle must be inspected every time it takes to the road. Our investigators are highly experienced in discovering the cause of a truck accident so that our clients can obtain the compensation they deserve when they’ve been injured. Some of the areas of investigation include:
- The logbook or ELD is checked to see if the driver falsified records or was speeding or skipping rest breaks, which might have led to a tractor-trailer collision.
- The company that employs the driver is checked to see if they have a record of accidents, poor maintenance, or bad scheduling, which would cause the driver to rush.
- Accident reconstruction is performed, which indicates the positioning of the vehicles and can point to fault.
- The police report is reviewed for errors and witnesses are interviewed.
- Traffic cameras are checked to see if the tractor-trailer collision was captured on tape.
After the evidence is compiled, our injury attorneys take over to use it in building a robust case that supports our client’s compensation claim.
Sacramento Trucking Accident Lawyer
My name is Ed Smith. I’m a Sacramento trucking accident lawyer. Collisions with a big rig can leave behind serious injuries. If your injury was caused by a negligent trucker, call me at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice. I can also be reached online.
Since 1982, my law office has helped obtain compensation for all kinds of traffic accidents, truck collisions, and wrongful deaths.
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Attributed photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/semi-trailers-truck-road-trailers-534577/
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