When two passenger cars collide, they are more or less at the same height. Even a dangerous, head-on collision probably means that the two bumpers collide first, helping a lot of the energy to be absorbed by the crumple zones. Safety systems like airbags and seatbelts can keep people safe inside the vehicle.
But when the two vehicles are vastly different in size, such as when a semi-truck hits a passenger car, there’s the danger of an underride accident. This occurs when there is a gap below the larger vehicle – such as between the axles of a semi truck’s trailer – and the smaller vehicle fits into this gap. It ends up becoming pinned underneath the trailer itself. This is a highly dangerous type of accident.
Avoiding safety systems
Of course, simply having the car pinned under the other vehicle makes this accident more dangerous in its own right because it takes emergency crews longer to get to those inside.
But a major issue is that this type of accident also avoids the safety systems inside that car. An airbag and a seatbelt will not help nearly as much if the impact of the collision shears the roof off the car or shatters the front windshield. Crumple zones are entirely avoided, and there is a high probability that those inside the smaller vehicle will suffer severe trauma to the chest, neck and head. This makes it much more likely that the accident will be fatal or result in serious injuries.
If you’ve been involved in an underride accident, you may have lost a loved one or found yourself facing significant medical bills from your own injuries, all due to the negligence of another driver. It’s important to know what options you have to seek financial compensation for your costs.