Truck accidents occur fairly frequently in Texas. That is the story told by the available statistics. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, they recorded 46,219 large truck accidents in the Lone Star State in 2020; 559 of those 46,219 accidents were fatal crashes.
Whether you live in Bexar County or another part of Texas, you must be wary of those large vehicles on the road. Truck jackknife accidents are especially troubling.
What Is a Truck Jackknife Accident?
How does a jackknife accident differ from a typical truck crash? The main difference is related to the positioning of the vehicle. A truck starts jackknifing when its trailer moves out of position. As the trailer shifts out of position, it may push the front portion of the truck. All that movement may cause the front of the truck to end up at an odd angle. It may now be angled to the side of the trailer or completely turned around.
The truck’s positioning may resemble that of a partially open jackknife, hence the usage of that term. Jackknifing trucks can cause plenty of damage. Get in touch with a San Antonio truck accident lawyer if you were involved in that type of crash.
What Causes a Truck to Jackknife?
You do not want to be in a position where you will need the services of a truck accident attorney. However, to avoid getting involved in truck jackknife accidents, we need to understand how they occur in the first place. The loss of traction often causes jackknife accidents. That loss of traction can be from different factors.
Poorly Timed Braking
Only those who have undergone adequate training are allowed to drive commercial trucks. Going through that training is necessary because these gargantuan vehicles can be difficult to control. That difficulty is most evident during braking. For example, if a truck driver hits the brakes at the wrong time, the vehicle may jackknife as a result. You will likely need an 18 wheeler accident lawyer if you are in the path of that out-of-control vehicle.
Speeding
Speeding is another form of irresponsible driving that can lead to truck jackknife accidents. Generally speaking, vehicles become harder to control when moving at high speeds. The unwieldy truck may suddenly start to jackknife and take out all nearby vehicles. Drivers must avoid that nightmarish scenario by keeping their speed manageable.
Improper Loading
Truck loading is a job that you must take seriously. If the people responsible for loading the commercial truck are not mindful of how they do that job, they could put the driver in a dangerous situation. Partner with a truck wreck lawyer if you want to pursue legal action against the company responsible for loading the truck improperly.
Equipment Failure
A truck accident may also be caused in part by equipment failure. Poorly maintained brakes may cause problems at the wrong time, thus leading to jackknifing. Other faulty components installed in the vehicle can also contribute to deadly crashes. In that scenario, you need to go after the company responsible for producing the faulty truck component. Work with an injury lawyer to recoup compensation from that company.
Wet and/or Icy Roads
Lastly, wet and/or icy roads are also known to cause jackknifing. Unsurprisingly, trucks have difficulty maintaining traction when the roads are slick. Even a small turn can prove difficult to navigate for a large truck if the roads offer no traction.
You can blame the truck driver for that accident but remember to look at their employer. Their employer may have forced them to drive in those poor conditions, so they should accept responsibility for the accident.
Why Truck Accidents Are So Deadly
In the aftermath of a truck crash, you may need the services of a fatal truck accident lawyer. That is a distinct possibility because these crashes tend to cause greater losses. So, why are these accidents involving trucks so deadly? First, you must consider the sheer size of these trucks. When a car goes out of control, it may take out a few of the vehicles around it. So, trucks will likely hit more vehicles.
When trucks jackknife, they can take out several rows of vehicles on San Antonio roads. The domino effect from a jackknifing truck can also cause the damage to spread out further. Truck accidents also tend to cause more fatalities because of the number of people involved. In addition, more people are likely to sustain serious brain trauma and other life-threatening injuries as a result, especially if it results in a head-on truck accident.
The force generated by an out-of-control truck also hits harder. When a passenger vehicle hits you from behind, there is still a good chance that you will survive that incident. In contrast, a truck can destroy your vehicle even if it hits you from behind.
San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyer
Here at Barrus Injury Lawyers, we are no strangers to large truck accident cases. However, we understand the nuances of these complicated cases and know how to tilt the odds in favor of our clients. Feel free to use our experience. Reach out to us today if you want experts handling your truck accident case.
