Underride Collisions
What To Do After a Phoenix Underride Collision
When vehicles collide with large, fast-moving trucks, the results are often devastating and deadly. Underride collisions are perhaps the most horrific truck accidents of all. They often result in the smaller car being literally crushed, resulting in life-altering injuries or even death.
The Phoenix trucking accident attorneys at The Husband & Wife Law Team have the tools, experience, and knowledge of the law to conduct investigations into underride collisions and find out what party was at fault in most any accident. We focus exclusively on wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases in Arizona. Potential claimants are invited to contact us for answers to their truck accident questions so they can decide the best course to proceed with the case.
What Are Types of Underride Collisions?
There are two types of underride collisions. The first is known as a rear underride collision. In this type of truck accident, the vehicle goes under the rear of the much larger truck. In a side underride collision, the vehicle slides underneath the side of a truck.
Consequences of Underride Collisions
Whether an underride collision will be deadly often depends on whether the smaller vehicle slides under the truck completely. If this occurs, the roof of the vehicle may be completely removed during the impact, often resulting in the death of the vehicle's occupants. If the truck has underride barriers installed, the driver and any individuals in the car may sustain less serious injuries.
What Are Causes of Underride Collisions?
Many factors may contribute to underride collisions. Rear underride collisions are more likely to occur if the truck's taillights are dim, dirty or faulty. This is particularly a problem at night, when drivers rely on these devices to tell them how close they are to the vehicle ahead of them. Rear underride collisions are also more likely to occur if the truck is moving extremely slowly and the driver neglects to turn on emergency flashers, or if a truck is broken down and the driver does not properly display reflective triangles to alert other motorists. Side underride collisions are more likely to happen when the side safety lighting is inadequate or inoperative, when the driver is turning and obstructing a traffic lane, or when the truck is moving at a substantially slower speed than the rest of the vehicles on the road.
How Is Fault Determined in an Underride Collision in Phoenix?
After an underride collision, investigators are usually called out to the scene to collect evidence, find out what caused the accident and determine which party was at fault. Trucking companies often have their own team of investigators that will do their utmost to release the company from its liability. For that reason, it's important for victims in these types of crashes to contact a Phoenix underride truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
For further assistance feel free to contact The Husband & Wife Law Team.