Raleigh DWI Lawyer

Truck Underride Accidents

Posted on 26. Feb, 2010 by Admin in DWI

An underride accident occurs when a passenger vehicle collides with a tractor-trailer truck or a single, straight truck, thus running under the truck and possibly shearing off the roof of the passenger car. In many cases, these accidents are fatal to the passengers and driver of the smaller vehicle. In some situations, the occupants of the passenger vehicle may be fortunate enough for the collision to occur near one of the truck’s axles, which would prevent the vehicle from completely sliding under the truck, thus sparing lives.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that a very high percentage of these accidents are the result of driver expectation. While exact figures cannot be obtained, due to uneven law enforcement reporting practices, it’s a known fact that drivers just don’t expect to encounter a tractor-trailer stretched across the road in front of them.

But at night, the danger is amplified, since the lights of the disabled truck appear to be located in the oncoming lane. As the driver of the passenger vehicle approaches the truck, the truck’s lights appear even brighter, which will increasingly divert the driver’s attention. This prevents the driver of the passenger vehicle from seeing the trailer portion of the truck. Once the driver can visualize the trailer, there isn’t enough time to stop or swerve out of the way – and the passenger vehicle goes under the trailer. Just prior to impact, the passenger vehicle driver’s perception reaction time (PRT) usually goes beyond 1.5- 2.0 seconds.

In an explanation of PRT – if the oncoming vehicle is travelling at a speed of 50 mph (which is 75 feet per second) and the PRT is 2.0 seconds, the driver of the oncoming vehicle would have travelled 150 feet before being able to react (by braking, swerving, etc.). The greater the PRT, the greater the distance travelled before being able to react.

This type of accident is more prevalent on interstates, where drivers encounter larger areas of relative darkness, as opposed to toll roads that provide adequate lighting. With limited lighting, the trailer is not silhouetted and therefore cannot be identified as readily. However, even with better lighting, the truck is still represented as a dark shape against a dark background, which is hard to see.

Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

If you would like to know more about truck accidents, you can visit attorneys Todd Elias and Steven J. Gordon, at their Texas accident law firm website.

Tags: highway traffic safety, nighttime driving, truck accidents, underride accident