The Differences Between Car and Truck Accidents

Truck Accidents are Often More Complicated than Car Accidents

Car and truck accidents happen every single day on Texas highways and city streets. As more people move to the Lone Star State, we see no sign of this slowing down. Although both car and truck accidents are common, accidents involving commercial vehicles are often far more deadly. Fact: big rig accidents are more serious because of the sheer size and weight of the vehicles involved.

Whether you are involved in a car or truck accident that happened because of another driver’s negligence or error, it is important that you understand your rights. While these cases have many similarities, there are also a lot of differences that you should be aware of. Understanding the ins and outs of car and truck accidents will better prepare you to win your case and receive the compensation you deserve. If you have been involved in an accident with a passenger vehicle or 18-wheeler, please contact Rad Law Firm today and schedule an appointment with a Dallas personal injury lawyer.

The Stats  

In 2017, one person was killed every two hours and 21 minutes in a car or truck accident in Texas. The fatality rate in Texas is around 1.4 deaths per hundred million miles traveled, which was a two percent decrease from 2016. While this may seem like a step in the right direction, the fact of the matter is that there are numerous alarming statistics about car and truck accidents in Texas and throughout the nation:

• There are more than 500,000 trucking accidents in the U.S. every year.
• 5,000 of these accidents result in death.
• More than 130,000 injuries are caused every year by truck accidents.

Truck and Car Accidents: What’s to Know?

Typically, trucking accidents are much more difficult to resolve than accidents involving passenger vehicles. There are many reasons for this, namely who should be held accountable. With trucking accidents, responsibility can either fall on the driver or the trucking company. Because of how complex these cases are, it is imperative that you hire an experienced Dallas trucking accident lawyer.

Let’s now look at some of the top differences between car and truck accidents in Texas:

• Large Insurance Policies – One of the main differences in these types of accidents is the insurance policy. Commercial trucks may carry an insurance policy that is 50 times more than that of a passenger vehicle’s policy. This means that these policies can be worth millions, which is why trucking accident lawsuits can get so tricky.
• More Damage – Big rigs can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds when full. As you can imagine, this weight and the size of the vehicle can cause far more property damage than a passenger vehicle can.
• More Severe Injuries – Building off the previous point, trucking accidents result in more severe injuries than car accidents. Most cars weigh around 3,000 pounds, so an accident with an 80,000-pound truck is undoubtedly going to be more serious.
• Higher Medical Bills – Because the injuries following large truck accidents are more severe, the medical bills associated with the injury are higher.

In addition to the above, there are also major differences in liability and rules and regulations of the road. If you’ve been involved in an accident with either a car or a semi-truck, contact Rad Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation.