Truck accidents can be catastrophic, and sometimes they happen because of road hazards rather than driver error. Understanding how these hazards contribute to crashes and who might be liable is critical. An experienced Indianapolis truck accident lawyer can help protect your rights and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free case evaluation to discuss your situation.
Why Trucks Are Especially Vulnerable to Road Hazards
Large trucks face unique challenges on the road that can make them more susceptible to hazards than smaller vehicles. Their size and weight affect almost every part of safe driving and handling. Here’s why road hazards can be incredibly dangerous for trucks: Vehicle Dynamics Big trucks weigh much more than a regular car and have a higher center of gravity. This makes them more likely to tip over if a driver has to steer or stop suddenly.
Longer Braking and Stopping Distance
Because of their mass, trucks need far more distance to come to a complete stop, even when traffic and weather conditions are good. If the driver spots a hazard up ahead but is moving quickly, stopping in time can become impossible, leading to greater risk of crashes.
Load Shift and Effects on Control
Cargo inside the trailer can shift while driving, especially if a turn or swerve is taken too quickly. Even a sudden speed change or bump in the road can cause a poorly secured load to move, throwing the whole truck off balance or causing rollovers. Dealing with road hazards in a large truck means every second counts.
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Common Road Hazards That Trigger Truck Crashes
Some of the most common hazards that truckers need to be very aware of include the following:
Potholes, Broken Pavement, and Uneven Lanes
Heavy trucks don’t absorb bumps the way a smaller car does. Striking a deep pothole or rough patch can cause a driver to lose steering control, swerve sharply, or even trigger a tire blowout.
Standing Water, Ice, and Black Ice
Water pooling on the road or sheets of invisible black ice can be incredibly dangerous. Trucks can be prone to hydroplaning or losing traction, leaving the driver helpless if they accidentally drive through these.
Cargo Fallen from Other Vehicles
Trucks carry all types of things across the country all the time. Sometimes, these items unfortunately fall off the back of the truck. This could be anything from wood to piping to other vehicles. When this occurs, both the truck driver and others on the road could get into serious accidents.
Sudden Lane Closures
When a lane abruptly ends, this is a serious issue for trucks. They have less time to merge or stop, which is difficult for them even when the lanes are normal and safe.
Confusing or Faded Lane Markings
Truck drivers may cover unfamiliar stretches of the road, so it’s normal that they rely on visible lane markings. When paint is faded or there are confusing marks on the road, drivers may get confused, which could lead to accidents.
Animals in the Roadway
Unexpected encounters with wildlife, farm animals, or pets are a constant worry for truck drivers, especially on highways near rural or wooded areas. When a deer, dog, or other animal runs onto the road, a semi can’t swerve to miss it without causing a bigger accident. Often, collisions with animals lead to serious crashes for the truck driver and vehicles around it as well.
Tree Limbs
Fallen tree limbs can be dangerous also. You might assume these are easy to see, but if a truck is driving at night and going around a curve, it’s going to be almost impossible to see a tree branch or limb on the road, meaning they won’t be able to avoid it. This could lead to a blown out tire or cause the driver to swerve and run off the road or hit someone else driving next to them. Being aware of these hazards is critical for truck drivers because of how difficult it already is to avoid accidents.
Who Can Be Liable for Road Hazard Accidents?
When a truck accident happens because of a road hazard, it’s helpful to understand who is responsible. Whether you’re the truck driver or another party involved, you could be entitled to compensation. Here’s who might be legally responsible:
Truck Driver
Truck drivers can be held liable if they were speeding, distracted, following too closely, or failing to react safely to visible hazards. Even though some obstacles come up suddenly, if the truck driver was already not driving safely, they can certainly be held partially responsible.
Trucking Company or Employer
A trucking company can be responsible for any accident their workers cause because of vicarious liability, which means an employer or company is liable even if they didn’t do anything wrong directly. These companies may also be directly negligent if they did something wrong, like poor vehicle maintenance, a failure to train drivers properly, overloaded rigs, or strict time schedules contributed to the accident.
Roadway Owner or Agency (Government Entity)
If poorly maintained roads or dangerous lane markings play a role in the accident, the agency or government responsible for upkeep may be to blame. When the problem has existed for a while and wasn’t fixed, claims against counties, states, or cities can be an option.
Construction Companies
Accidents near highway work zones often involve the actions or mistakes of private construction crews. If an improperly placed barrier or something left in the street from when work was being done contributes to the accident, this could lead them to be held responsible.
Other Motorists
Sometimes, other drivers are the cause of these hazards, like if they lose furniture or something else from their vehicle. If this forces a truck to swerve and get into an accident with you, that driver could be responsible even though they weren’t directly involved in the crash. Truck accidents can be challenging to deal with.
Whether you’re the truck driver who was injured because of a road hazard or another driver on the road, we are always here to help. You can call an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer form Vaughan & Vaughan as soon as you’re ready and we will get you set up with a free case evaluation.
