Override and Underride Truck Accidents

Delivery trucks and long haul semi-trucks are common on Columbus highways. And the mere size of the truck poses a considerable and potentially fatal threat to other cars and motorists on the road. Two types of especially dangerous accidents are override truck accidents and underride truck accidents.

• Underride accident – An accident in which a car slides underneath the rear of a truck.
• Override accident – An accident where a large truck runs over the rear a smaller vehicle.

As you can imagine, a commercial size truck running over anything is likely to be one of the more serious accidents that can occur.

What causes override and underride truck accidents in Columbus?

There are several reasons these accidents happen and most of them are preventable. Commercial sized trucks are equipped with several different safety devices and their drivers are taught safety procedures to prevent accidents. When a truck’s safety device is faulty or when drivers fail to perform safety procedures, they put themselves and any other driver on the road at risk.

Here are a few main causes of underride and override accidents.

Driving Aggressively: This can include speeding, failing to maintain lane, tailgating, and failure to leave ample space for braking. When any motorist drives aggressively, it is a risk, but when a large commercial truck drives aggressively, it poses a much greater risk to other drivers on the road. If a truck driver is following another car too closely, and that car has to stop suddenly, it could cause a deadly rear-end collision where the truck rides over the smaller passenger vehicle.

Driver Fatigue: Truck drivers are usually under tight deadlines and some may pass up rest as a way to meet their deadline. Some trucking companies may even encourage truck drivers to spend more time on the road than legally permissible. There have even been cases where truck drivers will falsify logs and stay on the road longer than is legal. Fatigued drivers may have slower reaction times, and thus may be less capable of braking in time if a car in front of them brakes suddenly.

Lack of Maintenance: Maintaining a commercial truck on a regular basis is imperative to the safety of motorists. Faulty brakes, worn tires, or a lack of underride guards can cause preventable accidents.

These accidents can be catastrophic or even fatal. If you or a loved one suffered injuries or died in an underride or override truck accident, you will need to account for both short- and long-term damages from your injuries. Fully evaluating your injuries may take time. The dedicated truck accident attorneys at Bressman Law can help. Contact us today at 866-777-6680.