View Our Practice Areas

How Commercial Trucks Get Into Accidents

Commercial trucks are large vehicles that are at least 25 times heavier than a typical passenger car. If a big rig and regular car collide, the results can be deadly and traumatic. Learning what causes freight truck accidents can help you avoid a traumatic injury and understand who was negligent in a collision.

Because large trucks are so heavy and they can tow freight, they generally cannot maneuver as quickly as a passenger car. If a passenger car does not provide adequate space for a truck to stop or turn, the smaller car will bear the brunt of the damage. It is important for both truck drivers and general drivers to give each other ample room and practice caution in each other’s presence.

Here are a few common ways that passenger cars contribute to a large truck accident:

  • Driving in a place where the commercial truck could not see
  • Merging in front of a truck without giving adequate space to slow down
  • Not giving a commercial truck enough to turn
  • Stopping too quickly in front of a truck

Commercial Truck Practices Also Contribute To Accidents

While the vast majority of truck drivers understand the responsibility of their jobs and practice safe habits, some drivers can be dangerous. A truck driver who speeds excessively or operates a vehicle for excessively long periods of time is a danger to other vehicles. Truck drivers who operate a vehicle while under the influence or with a lack of sleep also risk lives.

Washington has contributory fault laws that can cause rewards to be diminished if a victim’s actions were partially to blame for the injury. At Dean Standish Perkins & Associates, we can guide you through the complex world of insurance and negligence. Our personal injury firm has served the Seattle area for 30 years.

Get Relief From A Traumatic Injury

A collision with a large truck can be a life-changing moment for you or your loved one. If you have sustained an injury in an accident with a commercial truck call 206-981-5043 or fill out the contact form.