While they are both dangerous types of motor vehicle accidents, there are several critical differences between car accidents and truck accidents. Those differences can affect how a case proceeds through negotiations or in trial, and they can certainly affect how a treatment plan proceeds for an injured person.

Here are seven of the most important differences between a truck accident and a car accident.

1. The injuries can be far worse in a truck accident

Semi-trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds with loaded cargo, while automobiles weigh around 4,000 pounds. This is a dramatic difference in size and weight, meaning that individuals involved in a truck accident experience greater force and impact. As such, they have the ability to cause catastrophic injuries. Non-truck drivers frequently experience severe and life-threatening injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, crushing injuries, spinal cord injuries, skull fractures, limb amputations, paralysis, and more. Pedestrians and cyclists face an increased risk of fatality, too.

2. Visibility plays a big role in truck accidents

When two automobiles collide, they are typically around the same size and on the same eye-level. However, truck drivers typically cannot see automobile drivers very well, causing visibility issues. Semi-trucks also have several large blind spots that prevent truck drivers from seeing the roadway, vehicles, and people around their trucks. If your vehicle is in a truck driver’s blind spot, they most likely cannot see you, which puts you at serious risk of an accident if the truck driver decides to change lanes or turn.

3. Other parties behind the scenes may be at fault in a truck accident

Unlike in car accidents, other parties might share fault for a truck accident. While some people assume that only the truck driver is at fault for the accident, the trucking company, maintenance company, brokers and/or shippers may also be liable. This means they’ll all be pointing the finger at one another, trying to avoid paying out a claim. The good news is, we’ll fight to get compensation from all of them if they all share liability.

4. The cargo that 18-wheelers carry can be extremely dangerous

While an accident with any part of an 18-wheeler is risky, the cargo can be extremely dangerous. For example, if the truck is transporting toxic chemicals or other hazardous materials (HAZMAT), it creates an environmental risk if it spills. Flammable materials can ignite if exposed to an ignition source, which creates a literal fireball risk, let alone risk of burn or inhalation injuries. Finally, even non-lethal cargo can prove dangerous if it spills out of the truck, or if it shifts during transport; shifting cargo can make it harder for a trucker to control the rig.

5. It is almost impossible to prevent or stop a truck accident

Large vehicles like semi-trucks require a different kind of training and skill to drive. They also require longer to start and stop. While an automobile driver may be able to slam on his or her brakes to prevent a collision, semi-truck drivers can’t do that; the weight of their vehicles simply requires more time to come to a full rest. So, if a truck is traveling at highway speed and a car cuts in front of them, that big-rig is not going to be able to slow down quickly to avoid a rear-end collision.

6. Semi-trucks are prone to tipping or rolling over during an accident

Semi-trucks have a higher center of gravity. This makes them more prone to rollovers or tipovers. These trucks are most likely to roll when making a turn, changing lanes, or going around a curve, though it could happen at any time.

7. Your vehicle may experience a great amount of damage in a truck accident

When an 18-wheeler and passenger vehicle collide, the passenger vehicle typically experiences the most property damage because the truck is much larger. Many passenger vehicles are totaled, meaning it will cost more to fix than what it is worth. Therefore, most people need to replace their vehicle after being involved in a truck accident.

What should I do if I’m injured in a truck wreck in Knoxville?

If you’re injured in a collision with a big-rig, delivery truck, or other commercial vehicle, don’t delay: call our Knoxville truck accident lawyers as soon as you can. These can be complicated cases, and memories can fade over time. Evidence can go missing, too. At Banks & Jones, we Fight 2 Win. We’ll review the black box data, speak with witnesses, analyze the extent of your injuries and how it’ll affect your future care and finances, and then fight back against insurance companies who won’t play fair. We prepare every injury case for a trial, so the trucking companies know we mean business.

At Banks & Jones, our Knoxville truck accident attorneys are committed to holding negligent trucking companies and truck drivers accountable for the accidents they cause. If you need a lawyer who has the experience, skills, and resources needed to handle your truck accident claim, please call our office or submit our contact form today. Our legal team offers free, no-obligation case evaluations.