What Makes Underride Collisions So Deadly

Any type of truck accident tends to have devastating consequences for the occupants of the smaller vehicle, simply because commercial vehicles are so large and heavy. Certain kinds of truck crashes, however, are notorious for being particularly dangerous and often fatal. Underride collisions, which occur when a smaller vehicle slides beneath any portion of a larger commercial truck and becomes wedged underneath, fall under this category. During these kinds of accidents, the larger vehicle can crush the smaller vehicle beneath it and in some cases, can even shear the roof off entirely.

Underride Truck Accidents Can Be Fatal 

Unlike many other types of collisions, underride crashes involve a forceful impact on a specific part of the car, namely the hood, windshield, and roof of the smaller vehicle. Damage to these areas can compromise the entirety of the vehicle’s frame, crushing the roof downwards onto the occupants themselves. Unfortunately, the heads and necks of the occupants are typically the first thing that comes into contact with the collapsing roof, significantly increasing a person’s chances of suffering a fatal brain or spinal cord injury. If the smaller vehicle slides completely beneath the larger commercial truck, the occupants in the backseat of the vehicle could also be injured.

Underride Collisions Are Often the Result of Negligence 

Underride accidents are particularly devastating because they can be so easily avoided. These kinds of collisions can often be linked to a trucking company’s failure to:

• Properly mark the sides and rear of the truck or trailer with retroreflective tape;
• Use reflective triangles or cones when parked on the side of the road; and
• Use emergency flashers when entering freeways at slow speeds.

Some underride accidents have even been attributed to inoperative, dim, or dirty taillights on the commercial vehicle, all of which can make it a lot harder for other motorists to see the truck in front of them until it is too late to avoid a crash. Trucking companies are also required to install rear underride guards on their vehicles. These guards are made of steel bars that prevent smaller passenger cars from sliding beneath the larger truck in the event of a collision. Some trucking companies, however, use outdated or damaged guards that don’t effectively protect other motorists. Furthermore, there is no such requirement for the sides of commercial trucks, meaning that passenger vehicles can still slide beneath these portions of the trucks.

Speak with a Tulsa Truck Accident Attorney Today 

Underride collisions are one of the most devastating accidents in which a person can be involved. Tragically, these kinds of crashes can be avoided with the use of simple precautionary measures. Trucking companies that fail to take these steps, which include placing retroreflective tape on their vehicles and installing underride prevention guards, can and should be held liable for their carelessness. To learn more about filing a claim against the person responsible for your own crash, please call the experienced Tulsa truck accident lawyers at Levinson Law, P.C. You can also set up a consultation with our legal team by completing an online contact form.

Sources: 

nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2022-08/Underride-Crash-Pamphlet_071522_v6a-tag.pdf

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3861811/