Truck under-rides less effective in certain types of trucking accidents

April 06, 2013 (Press-News.org) Truck under-rides less effective in certain types of trucking accidents

Article provided by Hoffman Legal Group, LLC
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When we travel on an interstate highway or other high-traffic road, we know that we need to pay close attention to all of the vehicles that are around us. Some drivers may be aggressive, and make a move that causes others to have to react quickly. If someone is not paying attention, an accident may be unavoidable.

These motor vehicle accidents on such busy roadways often collect other drivers as well. With no place to go to avoid the other cars, the crashes often occur at a high-rate of speed. If one of the vehicles is a tractor-trailer, the resulting truck accident can lead to extremely serious injuries, even death, for those in the passenger vehicles involved in the crash.

Whenever an 18-wheeler gets into an accident, officials want to study the crash to learn how they can improve safety for all motorists. This may mean changes to trucking regulations that place restrictions on truck drivers, or modifications to vehicles to make sure that the trucks themselves are being made to be as safe as possible.

One of the safety enhancements made to trucks was the required installation of under-ride guards. These guards were designed to protect passenger vehicles that get into a rear-end collision with a semi's trailer. The guards are found below the trailer's doors, and prevent a vehicle from getting wedged underneath the trailer of a semi. This keeps the cars from having the top of the vehicle cut off as it travels under the truck.

Officials with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have examined the performance of the under-ride guards in trucking accidents, and they have determined that the current standards may be placing motorists at risk.

The agency tested several trailers and measured their effectiveness in crashes. When the accident concerned complete overlap, that is the car ran directly into the back of the semi, the under-ride guards performed as desired. When the angle of the vehicle changed, the guards started to perform less effectively. In fact, when the accidents involved less than half of the vehicle hitting the guard, all but one of the trucks tested failed. These failures could result in serious injuries for those in the passenger vehicle.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident, speak to an experienced personal injury attorney about your claims. You may be eligible for compensation for the damages that you sustained.

These accidents may cause injuries that can take time to correctly diagnose, so it is important that you discuss your case with an attorney before settling. Releasing the other party before you know the extent of your injuries can prevent you from recovering the compensation you need to pay your medical expenses.