Both during rush hour on the highway and any time on surface streets, vehicles often have to travel in very close proximity to one another. Sometimes, the vehicle directly next to you or right in front of your car is a commercial truck. You might feel nervous when you look up and see an 18-wheeler overshadowing your vehicle.
There’s a good reason for you to feel nervous because getting close to a commercial truck increases your risk of one of the worst kinds of commercial trucking crashes.
VEHICLES THAT GET TOO CLOSE TO BIG TRUCKS COULD WIND UP UNDERNEATH THEM
Any kind of crash with a big truck can cause massive damage to the smaller vehicle and injury to the people inside. However, there is one category of commercial truck crashes that is more horrific than most others.
Underride crashes can occur when a smaller vehicle goes underneath the commercial vehicle. These crashes often completely crush the smaller vehicle or cut the top of it off. The people inside could suffer catastrophic injuries or may die.
Maintaining an appropriate stopping distance between your vehicle and a commercial truck is one of the best ways to avoid an underride crash. Trucking companies can also help protect drivers from these crashes by investing in good underride guards and maintaining them properly.
If you were anyone in your family gets hurt in a commercial collision, you may need to negotiate that insurance claim or pursue a lawsuit against the trucker and/or the company responsible for the collision. Factors like the condition of the truck and the cause of the crash will impact what legal options you have.
