According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 368,000 large trucks involved in crashes in 2006 alone.  These accidents, given the size of the vehicles involved, can be catastrophic, resulting in severe injury and death.  There are a number of causes for large truck accidents.  These causes include, but are not limited to:

Overloaded Trucks Poor tire maintenance Poor or defective roadways Poor driver training Unrealistic schedules leading to Driver fatigue Unsafe speeds Overloaded Trucks

Overloaded trucks pose a number of threats on the roadway, and can cause an accident in a number of ways:

Can leave the truck dangerously slow going uphill Can cause the truck to  pick up dangerous amounts of speed going downhill Can stress brakes to the point of failure Can cause the truck to tip over more easily Can put unnecessary and often dangerous stress on roadways and bridges.

Overloaded trucks can also put undo strain on tires and lead to…

Blown Tires

Tires can blow out for a number of reasons, including defective installation, improper airing, and deterioration over time (often with spares).  Sometimes even the wrong kind of tires can be put on a large truck, leading to a blowout.  Blown tires can easily lead to tractor trailers tipping and rolling over.  Defective tires are also a symptom of the larger problem of defective parts.  Since many companies use refurbished parts in order to save money, these trucks are not always equipped with the safest or even most reliable parts, leading to equipment failure on the road and severe accidents.  Common accidents involving defective parts often begin with:

Worn brakes Re-treaded tires Faulty hitches and safety straps Faulty or incorrect tie-downs and falling loads Faulty underride bars that prevent cars from sliding under the truck Dangerous Roadways

There are a number of issues that lead to dangerous roadways, and also a number of ways in which a roadway can be defective.  A roadway can be deteriorated over time by:

Poor construction Improper use or overuse Poor maintenance Natural factors such as weather

These deteriorations can lead to accidents caused by:

Dangerous potholes Sediments or liquids on the road’s surface Uneven shoulders and medians Excess debris Inadequate or incorrect warning signs and signals Driver Error

Driver error is a major factor in a large number of accidents involving trucks, and driver error can be compounded by a number of factors, including:

Bad weather Nighttime driving conditions Foreign trucks with differing safety standards

If not given adequate training, truck drivers are susceptible to the dangers of bad weather.  High winds, fog, rain, snow, heat, and the low visibility of night can all wreak havoc with a tractor trailer and prove too much for even a skilled driver, especially when combined with driver fatigue from attempting to meet an unrealistic schedule.  Drivers without adequate training are no match for these conditions.  Substance abuse can also severely impair a driver’s ability to control their vehicle.  Given the influx of drivers from Mexico after the passage of NAFTA, and the lax truck laws and regulations in Mexico, the question of whether the drivers of trucks are fully trained to operate their vehicles safely and are doing so responsibly is even more pressing.

The wide variety of possible causes of truck accidents makes determining the cause and understanding the cause’s ramifications a difficult proposition for the average person.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, accidents involving massive trucks claim at least 5,000 lives and injure 130,000 more. In the United States more than 500,000 truck accidents occur annually. As a matter of fact, one in every eight traffic deaths involves a trucking collision. This article discusses why the statistics on truck accidents is quite high in the United States and the common causes of these accidents.

Business enterprises, big organizations and agencies of government are very dependent on commercial trucks for cargo transportation. Such trucks can have at least seventy five length and may weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When a truck with this size and weight are involved in accidents, the results are generally devastating and catastrophic. In addition, truck carrying dangerous or volatile materials might magnify the accident.

What are the common causes of truck accidents?

• Driver Fatigue

• Driver without license

• Speed

• Disobeying Safety Procedure

• Failure to comply to motor vehicle inspection

• Repair & Maintenance Failure

• Vehicle Collisions

• Failure to Yield The Right of Way

• 18 Wheeler Crash

• Loads That Shift Weight

• DUI or Driving Under the Influence/ DWI or Driving While Intoxicated

• Truck Rollover

• Mechanical or Brake Failure

• Tires Impairment

• Transporting Equipment with Trailers

• Overloaded Trucks or Trailers

• Backing Up/Moving In Reverse

It has been observed that more than 75 percent of all truck accidents are mainly caused not by the truck drivers but by the negligence of drivers in smaller cars. In addition, negligence on the part of the truck driver is mainly caused due to stress and fatigue, the inability of the driver to maneuver and brake quickly and his limited vision on the road.

What I want to focus on is the issue of truck driver stress and fatigue as a common cause why trucks are involve in accidents. According to the data gathered by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the General Estimates System (GES), 8.15 percent of all truck-related crashes where caused by driver fatigue.

Truck driver fatigue is defined as the exhausted, sleepy or tired feeling a driver feels while on the road driving. Truck drivers have a very long working hours, strict schedules and stringent unrealistic deadlines. Generally, we can put the blame on the policies of big companies why driver fatigue is a common cause of truck-related accidents. In an effort to meet the stringent deadline and tight schedules of these companies, truck drivers oftentimes curb a lot of road safety rules, such as exceeding the speed limit.

Truck accidents claim a lot of innocent lives in the US. While results might be devastating, one way to put an end to this vicious cycle is a stringent application of the trucking laws. If you are a victim or a family member of truck accident, you may recover for your injuries and property damage if you prove that the driver of the truck committed negligence while driving. Getting a good truck accident lawyer is a key to building a strong case against the driver, the company he is working for or the manufacturer of the truck.

It doesn’t take much to be injured in a truck accident on the highway anywhere in Orange County, in San Diego, or anywhere in Southern CA, from Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, California to Fontana, Riverside, Escondido or San Bernardino, from El Cajon and Chula Vista to Carlsbad, Newport Beach, Long Beach, Santa Barbara, Palm Desert or Palm Springs. If you have been hurt, you’ve probably been wondering if the California state legislators are working on any new laws to try to prevent truck accidents.

I had heard that the state legislators in California were trying to pass new laws (not really, but it makes a good article) outlawing certain activities while operating big rig and tractor trailer trucks, but few truck operators realized that such new laws could be in the works. I had seen a preview of what some legislators were trying to pass, so I went to see one of my truck driver clients at a truck stop and let him know what might be coming down on truck drivers the next time there was a horrific truck accident.

“So will there be a new law against texting for truck drivers?” he asked.

 ”They’re working on that,” I said. “It’s the other things that you’re really not going to like.”

 ”What are they thinking of doing to us now, tripling the gas tax?” my truck driving friend asked.

 ”Worse,” I said. “No more parties in your trucks.”

“What?” he exclaimed. “Don’t they realize that the only reason we drive trucks is for the parties?”

“No more truck groupies either,” I said.

 The other patrons in the truck stop turned to look when my friend let loose with some choice expletives. Now my friend was getting mad. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

I nodded. “No more food and drink, no more stopping on the side of the road to do you know what and no more sleeping in your truck.”

“What numbskulls thought up these rules?” the truck driver asked.

“You have to look at it from their side,” I said.

“And what industry is helping them see it from their side?” the truck driver asked.

“The American public doesn’t want truck drivers on the road who are too sleepy to drive,” I said.

“How about the hotel and motel industry?” the truck driver asked.

“They don’t want you on the road sleeping in your trucks either,” I said.

“I thought as much,” the truck driver said.

“Can we continue to use our cell phones and computers?” the truck driver asked.

“Let’s just say I wouldn’t invest in the stock of any of those companies,” I said.

“Are the lawmakers going to state what we can do while driving?” the truck driver asked.

“They can’t do that,” I said. “As soon as they say you can smoke a cigarette and then a truck driver gets into an accident while smoking, they’re out of office, aren’t they?”

“So they’re outlawing smoking?”

“Let’s just say I wouldn’t invest in any tobacco stocks either,” I said.

“Is there any hope you can give me as to why I should keep operating my truck?”

“I’ll see if the legislators would be willing to allow you to have a radio in your trucks,” I said.

“Well, at least that would be something,” the truck driver said.

“But I wouldn’t buy any stock in record companies,” I said.

If you’ve been involved in a personal injury accident in Orange County, San Diego or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Riverside Personal Injury Lawyers, and Orange County Truck Accident Attorneys. For this reason, be sure to hire a California law firm with personal injury lawyers who are ready to serve you in areas such as Irvine, Anaheim or Santa Ana so you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident and want to know the real rules regarding truck driving in Califonria or want to know more about your rights and what you are entitled to, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com  and learn more about how we obtain great personal injury settlements from insurance companies. You can also call us to speak directly to Sebastian Gibson about any auto, motorcycle, truck, pedestrian, car or bicycle accident, the loss of a loved one in a wrongful death or about a dog bite injury with no charge for your consultation.

News note – On October 1, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger banned motorists from texting, writing or reading messages on electronic devices. The law goes into effect January 1, 2009. This actually is a new law.        

If you’ve ever driven across the Midwest, you’ve probably experienced driving behind, passing and being passed by some very fast-moving semi’s. Semi’s, or tractor-trailers or 18-wheelers or big rigs – they go by many names – help transport millions of tons of freight all over the United States every year.

Did you know that a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh over 70,000 pounds? It’s just one of several vehicles that are considered large trucks. That category also includes delivery trucks, heavy cargo vans and all others weighing at least 10,000 pounds empty.

These big, sometimes beautiful, trucks can wreak havoc if they aren’t kept in top condition, if the driver isn’t rested enough or if the trucks are improperly loaded. There are almost 8 million large trucks registered in the U.S. and, some days, it seems like they are all on the road at once. Due to their massive size and lack of short response time, drivers of large trucks and tractor-trailers have some pretty strict regulations they must follows:

· Drivers are limited to the length of time they can drive without adequate rest and sleep

· Drivers are required to keep track of their time

· Trucks are subject to strictly controlled maintenance schedules

· Drivers must carry extensive insurance coverage

Since the trucking industry is a fairly expensive business, owners and operators are always looking for ways to save a few bucks. However, trying to cut corners in order to save a dollar here and there can lead to negligence on the part of the driver. If a rig is well maintained or if the driver falls asleep at the wheel, the resulting truck accidents can be devastating and very expensive. These are a few of the problems that can lead to trucks accidents with and without other vehicles being involved:

· Driver fatigue: drivers have specific requirements regarding how many hours they can drive at a time; not getting enough rest and spending too many hours on the road can leave a driver lethargic and unresponsive to traffic around him and even find him falling asleep at the wheel

· Schedules that are practically impossible to meet: many companies will set delivery dates that imply the driver will need to break the rules (including speeding and not sleeping enough) in order to make the delivery on time and not forfeit bonuses

· Taking shortcuts: truckers will get off the major highways in favor of surface streets to beat traffic

· Overweight truck loads: overloaded or incorrectly loaded freight puts extra stress on the engine, suspension, tires, etc. and slows vehicle response time even more

· Poor truck maintenance: not sticking to a strict maintenance schedule can lead to very costly breakdowns on the road including tire blowouts, brake failure, and other mechanical problems

When an 18-wheeler is involved in a multiple vehicle accident, there can be a lot more than 2 drivers and their insurance companies to deal with. Many tractor-trailers are owned by one person and driven by another. A truck accident claim could include the truck owner, the truck driver, both insurance companies and possibly their attorneys, the drivers of the other vehicles involved, as well as their insurance companies. It can quickly become very confusing.

Having an experienced truck accident attorney on your side will help ensure you get the settlement you deserve. You don’t want to overlook any future expenses such as medical bills, rehabilitation or long-term that may be required as a result of the injuries you sustained in the truck accident.

Traveling across the United States is a great way to spend time with your family and see what this country has to offer. Just watch out for the big trucks and semi’s. Give them some space and hopefully you won’t have to worry about calling a truck accident attorney.

Truck accident injuries are a serious thing. A truck, with its enormous size, can often crush a smaller passenger car that is traveling right next to it. Truck accident injuries are traumatic, with long recovery times, and can cost allot of money for all the parties involved. Dealing with injuries, caused by the accident, can take a tremendous toll on the victims. These injuries usually require legal representation of a qualified and experienced truck injury lawyer in order to gain a fair settlement.

Lawsuits are filed by truck injury lawyers when there has been credible injury to any one that was injured in the smaller vehicle. This must be done as quickly as possible, because there is a statute of limitations which applies to time constraints on filing a lawsuit. Truck accident victims should speak with a truck injury lawyer as early as possible. This helps to ensure the rights of the victim and will still allow time for the extent of all the injuries to appear.

Truck accident lawsuits can deal with both physical injury and emotional trauma. It has been proven by numerous truck injury lawyers that a physical injury can take a long time to heal when emotional trauma is added to it. If you happened to be stuck underneath an 18-wheel truck for a number of hours, before you are rescued, you are bound to experience some sort of emotional trauma. Truck accident lawyers are now known to send the majority of their clients to see a psychologist to determine if any emotional trauma was experienced. This is not an attempt by the truck accident lawyer to take the trucking company to the bank, but more of an attempt to keep the best interest of the client.

Filing an injury lawsuit is a serious action to take against a trucking company. They are usually a large company with a lot at stake, and will bring with them a highly skilled legal team. Prior to ever filing any injury lawsuit, the client needs to be sure of all the facts regarding to the case. They must also find a truck injury lawyer they feel is sufficient to go up against a legal team that specializes in these types of cases. The more confidence the victim has in the truck injury lawyer, the less emotional stress the claimant is likely to experience.

If you have been injured in an accident with a tractor trailer, big rig, 18-wheeler, or semi, a truck accident lawyer can provide help to you when you need it the most. Protect your right to recover compensation for your injuries, talk with an experienced lawyer that specializes in accidents that involve tractor trailers.

A truck accident attorney deals with cases of personal injury that may take place while you are on the highway driving your truck, trailer or 18-wheeler. The job of a truck accident attorney is to help you acquire the best compensation possible in case you have been injured, irrespective of the cause. A truck accident injury can devastate the victim as well as their family, and if the truck is a big one, the damage can be uncontrollable as well. There are semi accident and big rig lawyers too who are there to help in instances of the 130000 injuries and 5000 casualties that hit the US roads every year.

Expert Legal Advice and Solutions

The purpose of a truck accident attorney includes offering expert legal advice and aid for making your compensation claims. Generally, truck accident victims face problems pertaining to medical bills and refund, damage of property, physical and mental ailment and loss of income. Before looking out for a truck accident attorney, you must know when to reach out for legal aid and assistance. The answer almost always is then and there. In case you happen to be in the hospital, undergoing treatment for injury, seek the presence of a truck accident lawyer there itself to learn all about compensation claims and procedures.

You may also call the truck accident attorney on the spot of the accident in case you have emerged unscathed. The lawyer can show up on the street for investigating the vehicle or 18-wheeler. The statutes regarding the filing of claims against the other driver vary between states, and you need to be aware of these clauses. An expert truck accident attorney should show you their certification for determining whether they are qualified enough to handle your case. You may even do a cross check by asking them pertinent questions in the context of your case. If you receive in depth answers, you know that the attorney is a qualified lawyer.

You also need to come up with a list of questions for the required meet. The big rig or truck accident attorney should be able to answer all your questions. Pay attention to what they say as this is the basis on which you will be required to settle on their fees and the court fees that you will have to pay. Before determining the truck accident attorney to go for, see at least 5 lawyers in the personal injury category and then make your choice. There may also be plaintiff benefits involved as the legal expert is required to provide in depth research and investigation for substantiating the case with all the relevant evidences.

The truck accident attorney is also responsible for filing papers that are necessary for filing a lawsuit against the opponent party.

ve been seriously injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident, tractor-trailer crash, dog bite, slip and fall or some other type of unfortunate event which was not your fault, then you very likely will need an experienced personal injury lawyer to fight the insurance company you will be facing.

Of course, the adversarial insurance company will not tell that you need a lawyer (as detailed below, they will probably try to discourage you from hiring one) and will want you to sign all sorts of forms and provide them with a statement about the event in which you were injured. However, the insurance company will not give you anything in return-except a hard time!

In fact, one question you can you can count on hearing from the opposing insurance adjuster is:

“Have you retained a lawyer?”

If you have not, then you will very likely hear something like this (because these adjusters are so well trained, you probably won’t hear the big sigh of relief on the other end of the phone):

“Well, that is good news. Just so you know, having a lawyer does not increase the value of your claim. In fact, if you get a lawyer, then you will lose one-third of your settlement, plus have to pay their costs. I am glad that you and I will be working this out without lawyers involved.”

The fact of the matter is that insurance companies **** it when you get lawyer to protect your rights throughout the claims process because these professional adjusters know that they will have to deal with someone who has equal or greater knowledge of the personal injury system.

They know that the lawyer will not let their client be taken advantage of.

They know that the injured person’s lawyer will not accept a “low ball” settlement offer.

They know that they will not be able to dupe the lawyer into settling the claim quickly and cheaply before the true nature and extent of the injuries are known.

They know that they will have to pay fair value for the claim or else risk having to go to Court.

Over the last several years, data has been compiled, which demonstrates that injured people with lawyers obtain vastly greater settlement amounts than unrepresented persons.

Additionally, by involving a lawyer early on in the claims process, many of the “pitfalls” or “traps” used by the insurance adjusters can be successfully avoided.

Finally, experienced personal injury lawyers can ensure the client that all available resources for recovery are utilized to their maximum extent, which means that the insurance companies will be forced to treat the injured person’s claim more seriously and ultimately offer to settle at a higher value than without such an experienced attorney involved on behalf of the claimant.

In addition to the reasons why insurance companies **** it when you retain a lawyer, which were outlined in the last section, these companies REALLY get anxious when they learn that you have hired an attorney who has done insurance work.

This type of scenario (that is, facing a former insurance lawyer) is so unsettling for insurance companies because it is very much like a professional sports team having to go up against one of its former coaches who already knows and has well-crafted reactions for all of his prior team’s strategies, tricks and plays!

When the insurance adjusters handling your claim discover that they are going up against a lawyer with an insurance background, they are forced to throw away their normal “playbook” because they understand that the lawyer facing them understands all of their tricks and tactics.

They further realize that they are facing a lawyer who will not commit many of the errors that lots of typical personal injury lawyers (without experience on both side of the process) routinely make.

So remember, if you have been hurt due to the fault of another, then you should speak with an attorney who used to represent insurance companies. The insurance company opposing you will **** it and you will be protected from the insurance tricks which result in injured people being taken advantage of!

“At any given moment, newspapers in dozens of cities across the U.S. feature stories about insurance fraud,” says Tom Reitze, President of David Morse & Associates (www.davidmorse.com), providers of third-party administrator services, field adjusting services, specialty claims services, and fraud investigations. “Most consumers don’t realize that 25 percent of their insurance premiums are ultimately used to pay fraudulent claims.”

Indeed, in San Jose, Calif., 25 people in an auto fraud ring were recently indicted for allegedly staging and reporting two dozen fake car accidents during a five-year period, bilking insurance companies out of an estimated $400,000. David Morse & Associates and other companies provided critical information that led to the arrests and indictments. In Bridgeport, Conn., a woman was recently convicted of torching her home in order to collect from her homeowner’s insurance policy. And, in Sutton, Mass., a man pleaded guilty to worker’s compensation fraud for collecting $70,000 in disability benefits while secretly working in a physically demanding job.

According to Reitze, David Morse & Associates is committed to combating insurance fraud, which ultimately helps consumers by keeping insurance premiums in check. “The premise of insurance is pooled risk, but when the bad guys bilk insurance companies, honest people suffer through higher premiums,” he says. “That’s why our fraud investigation unit prides itself in catching fraudsters in the act.”

Reitze readily recalls any number of claims where David Morse & Associates fraud investigators and adjustors employed dogged legwork, quick thinking, and expertise to keep their clients from being defrauded and help honest consumers in the process.

In one instance, a David Morse & Associates investigator was assigned to a person alleging total disability who happened to live in a rural farming community. The investigator was inventive in locating the residence of the man, but when he was not at home, the investigator had to turn to townspeople for help. The investigator was told that the “disabled” claimant was building a house in a nearby town. Reitze points out with pride, “Although the investigator was required to videotape the man, he found himself in the midst of fields, with no place to hide his vehicle. Using his imagination, he staged a vehicle breakdown on the side of the highway, and managed to capture video of the man bouncing around over rough ground on a tractor and manhandling bales of hay. Thanks to the inventiveness of the investigator, the videotape was enough to end the disability claim of the farmer.”

In another situation, a David Morse & Associates truck adjustor found himself at odds with the California Highway Patrol. After a tractor-trailer collided with a van and overturned on a Los Angeles freeway, the CHP made a determination that the rig had been speeding. Although the adjustor knew that the truck had an engine governor that prevented it from speeding, the CHP wouldn’t budge, exposing the trucking company to a million-dollar liability suit. The relentless adjustor duplicated the conditions with a replica truck and load, and had a CHP expert ride along, which convinced the CHP that the truck wasn’t speeding. Following his suspicion the van was actually backing up on the freeway when it was hit, the adjustor consulted with David Morse & Associates’ reconstruction engineer. His theory was confirmed when the lab discovered the telltale signs of stretched filaments in the van’s taillights, indicating that the van had been in reverse and the backup lights were on at the time of impact. Because of the adjustor’s diligence, the million-dollar claim was arbitrated for a relatively small amount.

Notes Reitze, “The adjustors at David Morse & Associates know that doing the right thing also means stepping in and helping people who are legitimately injured.” When they do so, it often helps both the injured person and David Morse & Associates’ insurance client.

As an example, a truck driver was making a turn and didn’t see a pedestrian in the crosswalk. The truck screeched to a halt, but the man was knocked backwards and struck his head on the pavement. The David Morse & Associates adjustor arrived on the scene quickly, only to find passersby surrounding the man trying to get him an attorney. Although the man refused ambulance services, the adjustor could see that he was shaken and concerned. The adjustor quickly came up with a solution and drove the pedestrian to the Emergency Room himself. Moreover, the adjustor arranged for the client’s Safety Director to pay for the $2,000 medical bill. The pedestrian was given a clean bill of health and was pleased with the outcome and attention he received.

The corporate culture at David Morse & Associates can be summed up by the maxim, “doing well by doing good.” With 42 branches in 16 states, the company values the expeditious and personalized service they provide to their clients. “In the process, we do our part to help fight insurance fraud, which benefits both insurance companies and consumers,” concludes Reitze.

When you travel across the country on the interstate highway system, you are obliged to share the road with all manner of vehicles, including large big rig trucks transporting goods across the country. These big rigs, moving at a high rate of speed can be intimidating to other drivers in normal sized vehicles. Big truck accidents on the interstate inflict more damage on other vehicles involved than they sustain themselves.

The big 18-wheelers weigh in excess of 26,000 pounds empty. On top of the vehicles 13 tons you have to add the weight of the cargo they are carrying too. The distances and hours put a lot of wear and tear on those vehicles. Most big trucks have about seven years of hard driving on their chassis. Poorly maintained vehicles can also lead to big truck accidents on interstates.

The size and weight of heavily laden cargo trucks put passenger cars at a great disadvantage in the event of a trucking accident. Although, big truck accidents on interstates decreased in 2006, there were almost 5,000 fatal truck accidents nationwide. Approximately 76 percent of the victims of fatal big truck accidents were passengers of other vehicles. When a big truck accident occurs, it is much safer to be in the truck than in a car.

Trucking companies place tight deadlines on their drivers and may indirectly cause accidents with these unrealistic demands. Long hours in a truck will often lead to fatigue and decreased reaction times. In order to meet their deadline, many drivers resort to speeding, drugs, and other unsafe behavior. They become careless when securing their loads and frequently drive aggressively. All these are leading factors in big truck accidents on interstates in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Inexperienced drivers are another problem on the interstate highways. Truck driving appeals to many young men and trucking companies are desperate to get them driving early. In many cases, important safety training is foregone in order to get young drivers on the road quickly. This puts more inexperienced big rig trucker on the road with you and me, putting us in danger.

Seldom are big truck accidents on the interstate small affairs. Every winter on I-70 and I-80, there are multi-car pile-ups due to ice or fog. With all the big rigs hauling goods across the country, there are typically several involved in multi-vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, smaller passenger cars do not stand a chance when a big rig crashes into them. Some of the most frightening scenarios are when accidents involve trucks hauling gasoline or other flammable material.

It is important drive defensively around big rigs since they often have the advantage of size and weight over passenger vehicles. Because of the large size of these vehicles, very few truck accidents are considered minor. Truckers involved in big truck accidents on interstates typically have a company lawyer going to bat for them.

The deep pockets of the largest trucking companies will do everything in their power not to pay on a claim for an accident caused by one of their drivers.

About half a million large truck (also called tractor-trailer rigs or 18-wheelers) accidents happen in the U.S. every year, and 5,000 individuals die from those collisions, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Even when survivors are lucky enough to walk away from truck accidents, the injuries sustained can be serious and life-changing, from traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries to burn injuries and amputations.

The reason, of course, is not only because of 18-wheelers’ enormous length and width, which makes them difficult to maneuver in heavy traffic, but also because of their weight. An average commercial truck weighs about 80,000 pounds. Attempting to stop an 80,000-pound truck is no easy task. Add in any type of driver error, bad road conditions or mechanical failure, and that can spell disaster.

Here are just a few of the most common types of truck accidents to be aware of when sharing the road with commercial tractor-trailer rigs:

Brake Failure (Downhill): For a truck to come to a stop on a steep downhill slope, the brakes must be cool and in good working condition. In addition, the driver must know the proper braking method to use and the load must be balanced. If any of these factors are absent, a serious truck accident can likely occur.

Truck Rollover: Because of their high center of gravity, big trucks roll over easily, especially if a driver takes a curve too fast or if the rig’s back tires hit a curb or other object. Truck jackknifing can also cause rollovers accidents.

Underride Accidents: When a passenger vehicle impacts the rear of a large truck, and the car slides under the rig, it is called an underride accident. This is one of the most serious types of truck accidents, as the back of a rig is typically at the same level as the top of a passenger vehicle, leaving front-seat passengers at a huge risk for injury.

Head-on Collision: This occurs when a large truck and another vehicle strike each other “head on,” often at full driving force.

Blind Spot Accident: Large trucks have blind sports on both sides of the truck, and in front and back. A truck moving into the path of another vehicle that the driver cannot see is called a blind spot accident.

Wide Turn Accident: This type of accident occurs when a truck driver swings out left or right to make a turn in the opposite direction, and strikes a vehicle or pushes it off the road or into traffic.