Semi-trucks and other commercial trucks are so large that they must make wide turns. In doing so, they often take up more than one lane. If truck drivers are not careful, they can hit smaller vehicles and cause a wide-turn truck accident.
A wide-turning truck can inflict a lot of damage and cause severe injuries. At Ohio Truck Accident Help, we help the victims of these accidents. Our truck accident lawyers are here, so you get the compensation you need to move forward with life. Contact us for a free, no-risk consultation.
Wide Turn Truck Crashes Are Dangerous
Wide-turn accidents happen often. Sadly, many of these accidents are deadly.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), truck accidents result in more than 3,500 deaths yearly. The Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) reported that one out of eight traffic fatalities resulted from a large truck collision.
It’s important to be informed about the causes and consequences of these accidents. You can do your best to avoid them but know your rights if the worst does happen.
Ohio Wide-Turning Truck Crashes
Smaller vehicles can easily maneuver turns, but tight turns are one of the most challenging situations for big trucks. They must use their turn signals, check blind spots, and avoid any nearby objects simultaneously.
Truck drivers often make wide turns to avoid jackknifing the cab with their truck’s trailer. Jackknifing occurs when the truck’s cab is at a 90-degree angle with the trailer. It can cause the truck to tip over, roll, or get stuck in that position.
Wide turns are dangerous because truck drivers often don’t see smaller motor vehicles, pedestrians, or bikers in their paths. They may cause a truck-wide turn accident that can be deadly.
How Wide Turn Accidents Happen
Like the causes of other truck crashes, wide left-turn truck accidents and right-turn accidents happen in many ways:
- Limited Visibility: Due to the truck’s size, there are larger blind spots on all sides. This can prevent the truck driver from seeing vehicles or obstacles.
- Inadequate Training: Not all truck drivers receive sufficient training to safely execute wide turns in different environments and traffic conditions.
- Miscalculation of Space Needed: The driver may underestimate the space needed to complete the turn safely.
- Impatient Driving: Some truck drivers might try to make a turn when it’s not entirely safe, perhaps because they’re under pressure to stay on schedule.
- Distracted Driving: If a driver is preoccupied with something else (like a phone or GPS), they may not be fully aware of their surroundings when turning.
- Poor Road Design or Signage: Inadequate road design or lack of clear signage can create challenging scenarios for truck drivers, especially at intersections.
- Vehicle Design: The longer the trailer, the wider the turn it might need. Some trucks are designed to carry oversized or uniquely shaped loads, making turns even more challenging.
- Weather and Road Conditions: Slippery roads from rain, ice, or snow can make wide turns more dangerous.
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI): Impairment due to alcohol or drugs can greatly decrease a driver’s judgment and reaction time.
- Speed: Going too fast can reduce a driver’s ability to navigate turns safely.
- Improper Loading: If a truck’s cargo isn’t loaded properly, it can shift during transport and make it harder for the driver to maintain control during turns.
- Equipment Failure: Malfunctioning brakes or other crucial components and tire blowouts can compromise the driver’s ability to turn safely.
- Other Drivers: Sometimes, passenger vehicle drivers may not understand the turning radius required for large trucks and may put themselves in a dangerous position by trying to squeeze by a truck that’s making a turn. Drivers in the truck’s blind spot can also cause a problem.
- Lack of Turn Signals: Not using turn signals or having malfunctioning signals can confuse other drivers who aren’t warned about the truck’s intended movement.
- Pedestrians and Bicyclists: Especially in urban environments, pedestrians or bicyclists may be unaware of or underestimate the space a truck requires to make a turn and find themselves caught in a “squeeze play.”
Preventing Wide Turn Truck Accidents
Most motor vehicle accidents are caused by driver error. Thus, most trucking accidents can be prevented. Some ways to avoid wide-turn accidents include the following:
- Proper Training
- Use of Mirrors and Cameras
- Clear Signaling
- Slow Down
- Avoid Distractions
- Regular Vehicle Maintenance
- Use Cones or Spotters for Difficult Turns
- Educate the Public
- Plan Routes
- Stay Alert for Pedestrians and Cyclists
- Adherence to Hours-of-Service Regulations
- Weather Considerations
- Stay Updated on Road Conditions
Who’s Liable for Wide Turn Accidents?
Truck wide right turn accident fault and left turn accident fault depends on the cause of the crash. In some cases, more than one party may be responsible. It’s important to include all possible parties in a trucking lawsuit. You may forfeit your right to the maximum compensation possible if you don’t.
Liable Parties May Include:
- Truck Drivers: The driver can be held liable if their negligence, such as distraction, impairment, fatigue, or violation of traffic laws, led to the accident.
- Trucking Company: The company that employs the driver might be responsible under the legal principle of respondeat superior. This means an employer can be held liable for the actions of its employees while they are performing their jobs. The trucking company can also be directly liable if they neglect proper hiring practices, fail to provide adequate training or enforce unrealistic schedules that encourage risky behavior.
- Truck Owner: If the truck is owned by a different entity than the trucking company or driver, that owner could be held liable, especially if the accident resulted from poor vehicle maintenance or a known mechanical issue.
- Cargo Loaders: If improperly loaded cargo played a role in the accident (e.g., a shifting load that threw the truck off balance), the company or individuals responsible for loading the truck might be liable.
- Truck Manufacturer or Maintenance Providers: If a defect in the truck’s design or a maintenance issue led to the accident, the manufacturer or maintenance provider could be held responsible.
- Government Entities: If poor road design, inadequate signage, or lack of maintenance contributed to the accident, local or state government entities might be liable. However, pursuing claims against governmental entities can be complicated due to legal protections they might have.
- Other Drivers: Sometimes, other drivers can be partly or wholly at fault. For instance, if another vehicle tried to squeeze by the truck during its wide turn or if another vehicle cut off the truck, that driver could be found liable.
- Third-Party Companies: This includes entities responsible for truck parts, tires, or equipment. If a component failed and was a primary cause of the accident, the manufacturer or seller of that part might be held liable.
- Brokers or Shipping Agents: In some situations, brokers or shipping agents might be held responsible if they had a role in the shipping process and made decisions or overlooked issues that contributed to the accident.
It’s important to remember that these parties are legally liable under semi-truck laws. However, their insurance companies are financially liable and will ultimately be the party that pays a truck accident settlement or verdict.
Investigating Wide Turn Accidents
To determine liability, thorough accident investigations are often necessary, including gathering evidence from the scene, reviewing camera footage, analyzing driver logs, inspecting the truck, and interviewing witnesses. Additionally, various state laws, federal regulations, and precedents may influence the liability determination in a wide-turn accident.
It’s essential to begin your investigation as soon as possible. The trucking companies will send out a truck accident quick response team to analyze the scene and collect evidence. They may be reluctant to share that information with you. Your attorney can force them to keep the evidence safe and refrain from destroying anything before your truck accident trial.
As part of the investigation, your attorney may need to reconstruct the accident to determine what happened and who is at fault. They may use an expert called an accident reconstructionist who will use technology and tools to recreate what happened in your crash. This can help jury members understand liability and fault in your wide turn accident.
The Role of an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer
Your truck accident lawyer will play an important role throughout your wide-turn truck accident case. They can help with the following:
- Identifying all possible parties
- Accessing industry experts and accident reconstructionists
- Understanding wide turn accident laws and trucking regulations
- Ensuring victims secure maximum compensation for their losses
- Drafting legal documents and filing a truck accident lawsuit
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Collecting evidence and going through the discovery process
Wide Turn Truck Accident Compensation
Because of the severity of the injuries a wide-turning truck can cause, you’ll likely spend a significant amount on treatment, even with insurance. If you or a loved one were hurt in a wide turn truck collision, you may be eligible for damages like:
- Disfigurement
- Loss of Consortium
- Lost Income
- Medical bills
- Mental Anguish
- Pain and Suffering
Wide Turn Truck Crash FAQs
Can a Car Driver Be At Fault in a Wide-Turn Truck Accident?
A car driver can be at fault in a wide-turn truck accident. Working with a truck accident lawyer who can determine what happened and who should be held liable is important. Even if you are partially at fault, you may still be able to obtain some compensation.
What Injuries are Common in Wide-Turn Accidents?
Like other trucking accidents, wide-turn accidents can cause serious injuries. Some of the most common include traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), broken bones and fractures, whiplash, spine injuries, neck and back injuries, soft tissue injuries, knee injuries, and even death.
What if the Truck Driver Claims They Didn’t See Me?
If the truck driver claims they didn’t see you, you may have been in their blind spot. That does not relieve them of liability. They may still be at fault if they were negligent in looking out for cars around them.
Can I File a Lawsuit if I’m a Victim of a Wide-Turn Accident?
You can file a truck accident lawsuit if involved in a wide-turn crash. If someone else was at fault, then you may be able to get compensation for economic and noneconomic losses. A lawsuit against a trucking company can be extremely difficult and should not be undertaken alone. A truck accident lawyer should be consulted.
Contact Ohio Truck Accident Help
Many wide-turn truck accidents cause serious injuries or even death. They can be prevented in many ways, especially by reducing the incidence of driver error. Many parties may be liable for your accident. In that case, it’s crucial to include all of them when filing a lawsuit. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help with your case and handle the legal issues while you focus on healing.
Ohio Truck Accident Help can help you move forward with life after a wide-turn truck accident. We are a premier truck accident law firm dedicated to helping after serious crashes. Contact us today for a free, no-risk case evaluation.
