How Often Do Jackknife Accidents Happen?

When you’re sharing the road with tractor trailers, you might be wary to drive around them because they’re so much larger and heavier than your vehicle. It makes sense why you’re cautious—if you get into a collision with one of these trucks, the consequences can be deadly. One of the most dangerous types of truck accidents that can happen are jackknife collisions.

The crashes are called jackknifes because of the shape that the commercial truck makes when it wrecks. In a jackknife accident, a semi truck forms an L-shape with the cab and the trailer. Because the truck loses control, they can easily rollover from a jackknife accident and cause even more destruction for the truck, other vehicles on the road, and any other people involved in the collision.

When you’ve been in a wreck with a large truck and it jackknifes, you likely suffered from serious injuries. That’s why a truck accident lawyer can help you. At Bey & Associates in Atlanta, we’re prepared to help you through your claim and get you compensation for your damages. Let’s take a look at jackknife accidents so that you can better understand how often they happen.

What Causes Jackknife Accidents?

Unfortunately, one of the most common types of collisions that happen with 18 wheelers are jackknife accidents. While these crashes are dangerous for truck drivers, they’re even more dangerous for the occupants of passenger vehicles because of the difference in size and weight between the trucks and other vehicles. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), in fatal truck crashes, the occupants of regular vehicles are the victims 67 percent of the time, compared to 16 percent of fatalities being the truck driver.

Many different scenarios can lead to a jackknife accident happening, but the main cause has to do with braking. When a trucker brakes too suddenly, or their brakes aren’t properly maintained, the trailer can swing in an opposite direction of the cab and cause a jackknife to happen for the truck. If another truck or a smaller car cuts off a truck, this can cause them to brake suddenly and create a collision.

Additionally, if a trailer isn’t loaded properly, this can also lead to a jackknife wreck. When a trucker suddenly brakes and the load in their trailer is uneven, or if they take a turn too quickly with the uneven load, this can cause them to lose control of their rig. If the trailer swings out of control, then it can cause a jackknife accident to happen.

Instances like poor weather and inexperienced drivers can also lead to a tractor trailer jackknifing in the road. Any situation where a trucker loses control can lead to a jackknife accident, which can be extremely dangerous for everyone involved. That’s why it’s important to know how to drive around commercial trucks and how to avoid an accident with them.

Avoiding Truck Wrecks

The best way to avoid getting into an accident with an 18 wheeler is to pay attention to the road when you’re near them. Being distracted can easily lead to an accident, especially if you cut them off or don’t give them enough room to brake effectively. By being aware of your surroundings and driving carefully around a semi truck, you can avoid getting into a collision or causing them to jackknife.

There are blind spots that surround tractor trailers, which are places to avoid when driving around them because they can’t see you if you’re in these no zones. If a truck driver can’t see you while you’re in their blind spot, this could cause them to crash into you or they could brake suddenly when they suddenly see you.

Being vigilant and driving safely are the best ways to avoid collisions with large trucks. If you can’t avoid an accident, though, you could use the help of a truck accident lawyer. At Bey & Associates, we’re here to help you recover financially when you’ve been injured and suffered from damages from someone else’s negligence.

Our Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyers Are Here for You

After someone else caused a collision with you, especially when a tractor trailer is involved, you could be suffering from serious injuries and other damages to your everyday life. You might be wondering how you’re going to recover from this harm but taking on a legal claim could seem overwhelming. That’s where our Atlanta truck accident lawyer comes in.

With the help from Bey & Associates, you can have peace of mind knowing that our attorneys are investigating what happened to you and calculating exactly what you’re owed in compensation. Contact our office today so that we can discuss your potential claim and get started right away.