Everything from the slope of the road to the weather impacts the kinds of motor vehicle collisions that occur. The type of vehicle also plays a major factor in certain kinds of wrecks.
Commercial trucks are tall, long and heavy, making them particularly susceptible to several kinds of crashes. At least three kinds of collisions have a strong correlation with big commercial trucks, making them some of the most dangerous crashes that occur on modern roads.
Rollover collisions
Vehicles can potentially roll over with the wrong momentum. For example, with passenger vehicles, going up on a curb often precipitates a rollover collision. However, drivers operating commercial trucks don’t have to hit the curb to risk a rollover.
Uneven weight distribution in their trailer could easily lead to the driver losing control of the vehicle and possibly rolling over. Curves and turns could potentially contribute to the risk of a commercial truck rollover crash. The faster the speed of the truck at the time of the rollover, the more likely it is to strike other nearby vehicles before it comes to a complete stop.
Underride and override collisions
Sometimes, when a commercial truck hits a passenger vehicle from the rear, they drive up and over the tail end of the passenger vehicle. This is an override crash, and it can completely destroy the smaller vehicle.
The same is true of underride collision. These kinds of crashes occur when a passenger vehicle strikes a commercial truck from the rear and goes under the trailer or slips under the trailer from the side between the axles. Override and underride crashes often result in catastrophic vehicle damage and severe injuries to the passenger vehicle occupants.
Jackknife incidents
The structure of a commercial truck is what puts it at risk of a jackknife incident. This kind of crash occurs when the trailer ends up moving in a different direction than the cab. The driver effectively loses control of the vehicle. They could end up blocking several lanes of traffic or possibly rolling over.
As someone in the passenger vehicle, you generally cannot prevent big truck crashes like rollovers. However, you can reduce your risk of getting involved in these crashes by giving big trucks a wide berth out on the road. Learning more about commercial crashes could help you stay safe out on the roads.
