Underride Truck Accident In Aiken Calls Attention To Potential Danger
Semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and other big rigs are a common sight on roads in and around Aiken. While we rely on them to deliver many of the goods and materials we rely on daily, they pose a significant risk to other drivers on the road. A recent underride truck accident in Aiken calls attention to their potential danger. Underride accidents, in which a vehicle goes directly under a truck during a crash, have the potential to leave motorists suffering life-threatening personal injuries.
Driver Injured In Aiken County Underride Accident
According to a February 18, 2021 report by WRDW News, one driver was injured in an Aiken truck accident that happened on Interstate 20 at roughly 12:45 a.m. The crash involved a pick-up truck and a tractor-trailer. While police have not released details about the accident, witnesses claim the pick-up truck was wedged completely under the 18-wheeler.
This type of truck accident is known as an underride crash. It can happen when a driver hits a truck from behind or along the side, as well as when big rigs crash into the back of smaller vehicles. While the US General Accountability Office (GEO) states that it’s one of the least common types of truck crashes, underride accidents are also the most potentially deadly. Depending on the speed a driver is traveling, the force of going under a truck can completely crush their vehicle, even shearing the roof off in some cases. Catastrophic injuries often occur as a result.
Common factors that make underride accidents more likely to happen include:
● Speeding and going too fast for conditions
● Running red lights or stop signs
● Distracted driving
● Driving under the influence
● Mechanical issues with the truck, in particular, brake failure
Preventing Underride Truck Accidents
A horrific underride accident involving Jayne Mansfield in 1967 paved the way for current legislation to prevent underride accidents. The crash occurred in the middle of the night on a highway in Louisiana. Mansfield and two other companions were in the front seat of the vehicle and her three children were in the backseat when they collided into the back of a tractor-trailer. Their car went underneath, killing Mansfield and her two companions instantly. The three children were injured but survived.
In the aftermath, legislation was passed requiring underride bars on the back of large trucks. Under the South Carolina Code, all trucks more than 53 feet long (the standard size for a tractor-trailer) must be equipped with an underride guard. While this has cut down on the overall number of underride crashes, traffic safety officials claim additional precautions are needed and want to require underride guards along both sides and in front of big rigs as well.
Contact the Surasky Law Firm for Help
The recent underride truck accident in Aiken calls attention to their potential danger. Truck accidents often leave drivers suffering serious personal injuries. At the Surasky Law Firm, we help you get the compensation you need to recover. To request a consultation, call or contact our Aiken truck accident attorney online today.
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