The Deadliest 18-Wheeler Accidents On California Highways

Most people believe that Orange County truck accidents are so deadly because of the weight difference between a passenger car and a large commercial truck. A passenger car weighs about 4,000 pounds. An eighteen-wheeler weighs twenty times that amount – about 80,000 pounds. How does a small car stand even a chance against such a large vehicle?

However, it is not the weight difference, but the fact that semi-trucks ride higher off the ground than passenger vehicles that is the cause of the deadliest 18-wheeler accidents of all: underride and override semi-truck accidents.

Underride and Override Truck Accidents

Underride trucking accident occur when a car crashes into the back of a truck and the car is pushed under the body of the truck. If the car crashed into another car of similar height, it would collide and then stop. In an underride accident, the front of the car keeps going under the back of the truck. This causes the back of the truck to intrude in to the passenger area of the car. As the crash occurs, the big rig smashes into everything in its way, including the occupants of the vehicle. These accidents are often fatal; survivors are almost always left with head, brain, and spine injuries.

An underride accident may occur if a truck suddenly stops and the passenger car does not have enough time to prevent a collision or when a car is rear-ended and pushed into the truck.

An override truck accident is very similar, but occurs in the opposite way. In an override accident, a large truck rides over the smaller car in front of it.

Causes of override accidents:

• Truck tailgating
• Truck traveling too fast for conditions
• Truck unable to stop because of faulty brakes and poor maintenance
• Driver inattention
• Driver fatigue

Override and underride accidents can be prevented. Many big rigs have additional guards or bumpers installed around the bottom of the 18-wheeler to stop smaller vehicles from sliding under the bottom of the truck. While any crash with a semi-truck may result in serious injury, most are not nearly as deadly as override and underride crashes.

Have you lost a loved one or sustained serious injury in an Orange County commercial truck crash? The Newport Beach accident attorneys at Allen, Flatt, Ballidis and Leslie represent victims of trucking accidents throughout California. We can take on the big trucking companies and get you fair compensation for your medical bills, rehabilitation, on-going care, loss of earnings, loss of earning potential, loss of quality of life and other damages. To learn more, contact our Orange County law office at 866-981-5596 to schedule a free case evaluation.

Need help finding a California lawyer? Download our free guide, “Avoid Lawyer Advertising Hype! A Lawyers Method for finding a Lawyer!”