Driving can be unnerving at times. It gets worse when you find yourself in a sticky situation that could possibly lead to an accident. Even more than that, when you find yourself seconds away from a California big rig accident, it is so frightening that many do not know what to do.

Many people know that driving close to and taking chances around semi trucks is dangerous, but it is also important to know why.

• The Sheer Weight of a Truck Can Lead to a Devastating Accident: First of all, the sheer weight of a semi truck is enough to wreck most vehicles, let alone a small sedan or wagon. Depending on the cargo, trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. With all that weight being shifted to a smaller vehicle, the possibility of making it out unharmed or alive is slim to none.
• Debris Can Be Deadly: It is not only the weight of the truck flying into a car that one must worry about. The surrounding vehicles are also at risk of being hit by the truck’s components that can detach upon impact. Often times, things like tires will blow out, explode, or become loose when a semi truck experiences a collision. Also, things strapped to the back of the truck on the trailer can come loose and fly into the road. If a truck is carrying chemicals and gets into a crash, all the people in the nearby area are at risk of the damages caused by that chemical or gas. Unfortunately, cars surrounding a truck’s crash also have to be afraid of other cars darting out, losing control, or running off the road to avoid the conflict.
• Vehicle Design Can Cause Problems: The issue of vehicle design is also a major problem area when it comes to truck crashes. Car bumpers usually function as an impact buffer, so that the crash is not as severe. When cars get into collisions with trucks, the bumper is too low and does little to nothing for the people in the car. Also, because the bottom of the undercarriage of semis is so high, most cars can get caught underneath, which can tear off the roof of the smaller vehicle. This can lead to injuries that are often fatal or debilitating.

Using practical defensive skills and alertness in driving can prevent a collision with a semi, but sometimes certain accidents just happen. If you have been the victim of a crash with a semi, you may be entitled to compensation.  Contact a San Bernardino truck accident attorney at Steinberg Injury Lawyers Injury Lawyers at (800) 989-6385 for a free case evaluation.

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