As much as we depend on truck drivers to deliver products to our stores, trying to share the road with these big rigs can be intimidating. On Florida’s highways, it’s difficult to avoid them.
Our fear is likely based on seeing pictures of the aftermath of a crash between a semi-truck and a car, which often leaves us wondering how anyone could survive such a horrific accident.
The danger of underride collisions
Underride collisions occur when smaller vehicles collide with the side or rear of a semi-truck or another much larger vehicle and become wedged underneath. Most cars are designed so that the hood, doors and rear absorb most of the impact from a crash. However, in an underride collision, the car’s roof receives most of the force, often shearing the top off or crumpling it down into itself.
These types of accidents often result in severe injuries for the driver and their passengers. Trauma to the head and neck is common, and underride accidents often result in fatalities.
The most frequent types of underride collisions are:
- Rear-underride: The smaller vehicle hits the back of the semi-truck, often due to low visibility, weather conditions or poorly lit trucks.
- Side-underride: The small vehicle drives under the side of the semi-truck, often at intersections, during a U-turn or when the truck is making a wide turn across traffic.
Highways aren’t the only places where underride accidents occur. Busy city streets often have both semi-trucks and cars attempting to maneuver in the same small area, and a smaller vehicle or motorcycle may get wedged underneath during turns or sudden stops.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires semi-trucks and tractor-trailers to have rear guards installed to prevent rear-underride collisions. However, there is no such law in place regarding side guards.
The outcome of underride collisions is often catastrophic. Therefore, victims must be aware that they may be eligible for compensation for their injuries.