It pays to be careful when you’re behind the wheel of your car, especially when you’re sharing the roads with big trucks. When an automobile gets in a wreck with a big truck, the automobile usually suffers far more damage than the truck. Serious, even fatal, injuries can occur to the occupants of an automobile during a collision with a big truck.
In Florida, large truck accidents happen for many reasons. In a lot of instances, truck driver error — due to distraction, impairment, or lack of experience — is to blame for the accident. This includes driving too fast or not checking properly before changing a lane or making a turn. Mechanical issues caused by poor maintenance or defective parts can result in accidents due to brake failures or tire blowouts. Adverse weather and poor road conditions can also be to blame for accidents involving big trucks and automobiles.
There are many types of truck accidents, including:
- Head-on collisions
- Rollovers
- Jack-knifes
- Underride and overrides
- Hazardous cargo spills
It’s not uncommon for an automobile to become trapped beneath a truck during a collision because of the higher undercarriage.
Most Big Truck Accidents Occur Between 12 PM and 3 PM
A collision between an automobile and a large truck can happen anywhere at any time. But are there certain times of the day when a Florida truck accident is more likely to occur?
As it turns out, yes. According to data compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 63 percent of truck accidents take place between the hours of 6 am and 6 pm. The number starts to rise at 6 am and peaks between 12 pm and 3 pm. The number of truck accidents rapidly drops after 6 pm. Only 37 percent of truck wrecks occur between the hours of 6 pm and 6 am, with the least number of accidents occurring between 9 pm and 3 am.
The answers aren’t really that surprising. It makes sense that the incidents of truck accidents rise with the amount of traffic on the road. Weekdays are the worst for large truck crashes; the numbers peak slightly on Thursdays and then dip slightly on Fridays. Only 16 percent of truck crashes occur on the weekends.
Get Help Protecting Your Rights After a Florida Truck Accident
If you’ve been injured in an accident with a large truck that happened due to the negligence of the truck’s driver or owners, Florida state law gives you the right to seek compensation for any damages that exceed the limits of your PIP insurance. This includes compensation for your ongoing medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Tania Rivas is an experienced Lutz truck accident attorney who has helped clients in Central Florida communities including Winter Haven, Lakeland, Bartow, Haines City, Davenport, Mulberry, Polk City and Gibsonia to obtain the compensation they deserve. Wins for her clients include a $425,000 settlement for the wrongful death of a passenger killed when the driver of a tractor-trailer truck ran a stop sign and struck the vehicle the victim was riding in.
Contact Rivas Law Group to schedule an appointment to speak with Tania Rivas about how to best protect your rights after an 18-wheeler accident.
