With hundreds of thousands of accidents taking place on the roads in the US alone every single year, it’s no wonder more, and more people are starting to look into the details of road traffic accidents in a bid to understand them further and ultimately reduce the risk.
However, one of the biggest steps you’ll need to take first is understanding the difference between accidents involving trucks and incidents involving cars. While these might just seem like vehicle differences, there are a lot of things you may need to know.
Today, with this in mind, we’re going to explore the five ways that truck and car accidents differ, giving you everything you need to know.
Much More Damage
The first, and perhaps most obvious, the difference between a truck and a car crash is the amount of damage that takes place during a truck accident, especially a high speed one. Of course, trucks with cargo are much harder and heavier than cars and thus cause more damage.
This means there’s much more chance the rate of severity when it comes to injuries will be much higher, as will the related consequences.
Different Party at Fault
When it comes to car accidents, the blame of the accident will tend to be with a car owner. However, in a truck accident, things tend to be far more complicated. This is because the fault could lie with any number of regulated services. These include;
· The driving driver
· The company the driver works for
· The shipping companies
· The truck maintenance/servicing company
· Various contracts relating to the truck
· The truck manufacturer
More Evidence to Collect
Due to the commercial nature of trucks, there tends to be a lot more evidence to gather when it comes to the investigation, which means the process can take a lot longer than a car accident. This includes all the standard accident evidence, such as taking photos and witness reports.
Some of the more unique criteria may include; checking the satellite boxes and information, checking the black box, checking the driver’s records, checking the insurance information, checking the maintenance records, etc. Always ensure you seek legal advice from a company like Coye Law Firm in order to get the professional help with the evidence you need to collect and assistance throughout the case.
Different Regulations
Whereas most people can drive their cars at any time, whenever they want, the rules a lot different to truck drivers, depending on where the truck is, and this will need to be taken into account.
Some of these differences include rules stating the truck cannot be driven at a certain time, or according to the holiday time the truck driver is allowed.
A Different Investigation Process
Due to many of the differences we’ve spoken about above, the investigation process for a truck accident is far different than one for a car accident. If the truck maintenance records are being examined, a specialist may be called in for an expert opinion.
In some cases, this could take weeks or even months, and anybody involved with the case could be waiting a long time for answers.
Summary
As you can see, there are plenty of differences to note when it comes to inspecting a car accident and a truck accident. If you’ve been involved in either, always seek professional advice to ensure you get the best result. If you’ve been involved in a car accident and looking for more info, check out https://www.
