A crash with a tractor-trailer can be much more dangerous than a crash with a passenger car. A truck’s size and weight are some of the main factors that make crashes with these vehicles so deadly. Other factors such as a truck driver’s abilities and a truck’s maintenance could also cause a serious accident. We have outlined four main differences between a passenger car and a truck that make accidents with a truck more dangerous than any other vehicle.
Truck Size Compared to Passenger Vehicles
A semi-truck or 18 wheeler’s size is an important factor in the severity of an accident with a passenger vehicle. Trucks are much larger compared to passenger cars; the average length of an 18-wheeler is about 70 to 80 feet long. In comparison, a small car’s length is between 10 to 14 feet and trucks’ average length is between 18 and 19 feet long. There is a big difference between a passenger’s car length and that of a semi-truck, this difference in size results in severe injuries and property damage during a crash with a truck compared to a crash where only passenger vehicles are involved. The height difference between these two types of vehicles is also another factor that affects the gravity of these accidents. A truck’s height increases the risk of overriding passenger cars, a car can slide underneath a truck during an accident resulting in serious and often fatal injuries.
Trucks’ Weight
A truck’s weight also impacts the severity of a crash. Due to their size and weight, a truck takes longer to come to a full stop compared to passenger cars, this could result in serious crashes. The legal weight of an 18-wheeler is 80,000 lbs. or 40 tons, a passenger car’s average weight is about 5,000 lbs. Due to this difference in weights, a car will carry most of the force of the impact during a crash with a truck. More force absorbed by the car means more serious injuries suffered by the passengers. A truck’s weight and cargo load also make it more likely than a passenger vehicle to suffer a roll-over accident.
Trucking Companies Strict Delivery Schedules
Some truck drivers are held under strict work policies that require them to drive for long periods of time, regardless of weather, traffic, and other road conditions that could make their work dangerous. In order to meet their strict deadlines, some truck drivers could be risking their lives by driving drowsy. Studies have shown that driving drowsy is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. A drowsy driver could take longer to react to a hazard on the road or fall asleep on the wheel and cause an accident. San Antonio truck accident attorneys Maloney & Campolo also list drowsy and distracted driving as one of the most common causes of truck accidents.
Hazardous Cargo
Commercial trucks carry different types of cargo, some of them may be carrying hazardous material, which makes a collision with them more dangerous. A semi truck’s dangerous cargo such as flammable material, heavy objects, or an oversized load could cause more serious injuries if they are involved in an accident, especially with a smaller motor vehicle. Cargo that isn’t properly loaded or secured could also cause an accident. A cargo’s weight should be equally balanced and secured inside the semi-trailer to avoid the cargo from shifting and potentially causing the truck to roll-over. Cargo that isn’t properly attached to a truck could also cause an accident if it detaches from the truck’s tractor unit.
Both an accident with a car or a truck could cause property damage and lifelong injuries. Unfortunately, due to a truck’s size, weight, and the driver’s workload, an accident with these motor vehicles is usually more severe than with a passenger car. Whether you’re a truck driver, a passenger car driver, or a motorcyclist, make sure you protect yourself and other drivers when you’re driving close to a large truck.