When a truck does a jackknife, it can be a terrifying event to witness. Did you know? Jackknifing can cause multi-car crashes in an instant?
Explaining the Cause With a Houston Jackknife Accident Attorney
Everyone has a right to be on the road, whether they are driving a smaller car or SUV, truck, or motorcycle—or riding a bike or walking.
As a rule, we all must share the road; however, each type of vehicle causes vulnerability to its drivers, as well as posing hazards to others.
While distracted drivers in cars are the number one reason for accidents today due to motorists engaging in:
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- otorcyclists may present hazards while speeding, shifting lanes erratically, and driving aggressively.
- Phone calls
- Text messages
- Internet surfing
- Talking to passengers
- Eating.
- Grooming and more.
Trucks, however, present hazard due to their sheer size alone.
While having an accident with another 4,000-pound vehicle can be devastating, there is a much greater potential for injuries or fatalities in a collision with a truck weighing 80,000 lb. and carrying a load of cargo.
These larger vehicles seem to present much greater (and unfortunately) opportunity for accidents. They have trouble stopping quickly in the face of a motorist slamming on the brakes.
Moreover, a cargo may spill and cause mayhem.
There are more frequent accidents during lane changes where truckers have trouble seeing small cars and motorcycles, and one of the greatest dangers of all: the jackknifing event.
What is Jackknifing?
A jackknifing truck causes issue due to its span across the road or highway, possibly including multiple lanes and acting as a sudden and unexpected L-shaped barrier for other motorists.
Almost like catching fish in a net, when a truck experiences this type of difficulty, multiple cars could crash into it or veer off the road.
These vehicles can even head into other cars as they attempt to brake quickly. Jackknifing can happen for numerous reasons:
-Whether a truck has been hit by another vehicle.
-Experienced extreme skidding during weather.
-An issue with locking brakes (more common to inexperienced drivers).
Driver error may be to blame on a more serious level too if the truck driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol and becomes unable to manage driving the truck.
They could also be distracted, drowsy (even falling asleep at the wheel), or not very well trained. Accidents can result in fatalities or serious injuries. After-which, who gets the insurance claim?
Your With the Truck Accident Response Team, or T.A.R.T.
Attorney Sergeant Peggy and his legal team, specializing in 18-wheeler accidents, can be at the scene of your accident within hours.
With this unique system, legal specialists can perform the most important task, which is preserving evidence (especially in case of a trial to present to a jury so that you were able to receive the maximum amount of compensation you are due) for an injury or wrongful death claim.
The T.A.R.T. system was created not only to fight trucking companies and their ongoing, duplicitous ways, but also insurance companies who are often even worse to deal with during accident claims.
Please call the law offices of Andrew ‘Pike’ Piekalkiewicz, PLLC as soon as possible at (713) 748-7453 or visit AttorneySgtPike for a no-obligation case review. Let us put our years of experience in dealing with trucking and insurance companies to work for you.
