Eleven Ways a Truck Head-On Collision Can Change Your Life

Recently, CBS News released footage showing the instant that a semi-truck bumped a passenger vehicle and then veered into oncoming traffic and struck a van head-on. The van was carrying a church group from Louisiana to Disney World. Sadly, five children in the van were pronounced dead, as well as the driver of the semi-truck and another truck driver who was traveling in a third vehicle going the same direction as the van that was also involved in the accident.

The footage was a key piece of the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the crash, which was ongoing at the time of the report. The CBS News report noted that the at-fault semi-driver was a contracted postal carrier at the time the accident occurred. The company he worked for issued a statement claiming that the driver had suffered a health issue that rendered him unconscious just before the wreck happened. However, an attorney for the family of one of the deceased children and her mother—who survived the accident—stated that the company had not provided any evidence to the Florida Highway Patrol proving the claim of a medical condition.

Following the crash, a reported eight lawsuits were filed by family members of the deceased as well as surviving victims of the crash. It was reported that the at-fault driver had a series of traffic infractions before the crash happened. Although the accident occurred in Central Florida, the lawsuits were filed in Cook County, Illinois, where the trucking company is located.

Head-on crashes are the most deadly type of crash due to the cumulative effect of the speed of both vehicles at the time when the collision occurs and the sudden change in velocity that results. When a head-on accident involves a semi-truck that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and a passenger car that weighs 4,000 pounds or less, the consequences are almost always deadly. Usually, although the semi-tractor attempts to brake, the truck’s trailer continues at the same speed, pushing the semi forward or jackknifing which can lead to additional problems.

How Common Are Head-On Truck Collisions?

Head-on collisions, also known as frontal impact collisions, happen when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, head-on collisions involving large trucks make up only about 3 percent of all large truck crashes each year. The chances of being involved in a head-on collision with a big rig are quite low in comparison to the other types of crashes that involve semi-trucks. For example, there are 33,000 rear-end collisions involving a tractor-trailer each year, accounting for more than a quarter of all truck accidents.

How Do Head-On Truck Accidents Occur?

Head-on collisions raise some common questions. Didn’t the drivers see another vehicle heading in their direction? Why didn’t they get out of the other vehicle’s way? Why didn’t they stop before they collided?

Head-on collisions most commonly occur on rural or narrow roadways, in which vehicles pass one another by temporarily traveling in the lane designated for opposing traffic. Here is a look at some of the more common reasons why head-on collisions occur:

1. A driver suffers a medical issue or falls asleep. Head-on crashes happen most often at nighttime when visibility is low, and there is a high likelihood of driver fatigue due to the body’s instinct to sleep at night.
2. The driver is drug or alcohol-impaired. Once again, the impairment may cause the driver to leave his or her lane of travel.
3. A driver becomes confused and travels in the wrong direction on the roadway, on a one-way road, or on a highway ramp, increasing the chance of having a head-on collision.
4. A driver is speeding. This is particularly concerning on rural, winding roadways, as the vehicle may not be able to stay in its lane of travel when negotiating curves. Oncoming traffic will be unable to see the vehicle until it’s too late to avoid hitting it.
5. A driver passes another vehicle on an unbroken line on a rural road. The solid line indicates that it is unsafe to pass in that area, yet many drivers still do it.
6. A driver is unable to see where his or her lane of travel is due to inclement weather.
7. A driver swerves to avoid an obstacle in the roadway—such as another car, animal, person, or debris.
8. A driver is distracted by something, such as texting or reaching for something in the vehicle and drifts out of their lane of travel into oncoming traffic.
9. A driver who loses control of their vehicle due to a tire blowout or other vehicle malfunction. Blown tires are a common occurrence with tractor-trailers.
10. A driver becomes confused by a construction zone that has altered the lane alignment and winds up traveling into oncoming traffic.
11. There is a multi-car pileup that may involve vehicles being pushed into opposing lanes of traffic.

As you can see, the reasons for head-on collisions almost always involve one vehicle leaving its lane of travel, which is one of the hallmark factors of this type of crash.

Avoiding Head-On Collisions With a Truck Driver

Not all head-on collisions can be avoided, but many can. Here are some tips to avoid being involved in this type of crash:

• Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Avoid distractions that will draw your attention to potential hazards up ahead. If you see a vehicle driving in the wrong direction of traffic, quickly slow your vehicle. Flash your lights and honk as a warning to the driver and steer to the right of the driver into any clear area that is available, such as the shoulder of the road. Drive off the road if necessary, as driving into the ditch is generally a safer alternative than having a head-on collision with a semi-truck.
• If you are tired, angry, or not feeling well, avoid driving. Fatigue is one of the most common causes of crashes, and emotional problems can lead to aggressive driving behaviors such as speeding, passing other drivers in non-passing zones, and running red lights. A collision with another vehicle could cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cross the centerline.
• Slow down. This is your best option for keeping control of your own vehicle. Additionally, the force of a crash increases with speed. Studies have shown that the best chance to survive a head-on collision is by traveling below 43 miles per hour. This is the highest speed that a human body can tolerate the crash forces of an accident. While it is possible to survive a head-on crash at higher speeds, and even a head-on accident involving a semi at higher speeds, the odds of surviving without serious injury severely decrease as your speed increases.
• Pass carefully, particularly on two-lane roads that require you to use the opposing traffic lane to pass. Never pass on an area of the roadway that is marked with a solid yellow line.
• Pay attention to signs on unfamiliar roadways and in construction zones to avoid any confusion that may put you into the path of a truck traveling in the opposing direction.

When a Truck Driver Causes a Head-On Collision, Who May Be Held Responsible?

A head-on crash can result from driver error, truck malfunction, road conditions, and other factors. When a semi-driver is working for a trucking company, the company has the responsibility to ensure the semi-truck is properly maintained and safe to drive. Drivers must also keep a log of the hours they drive and rest to keep tired drivers off the road. Several federal regulations also apply to commercial vehicles and could affect your right to compensation.

If you or a family member were involved in a crash with a commercial vehicle, there could be multiple responsible parties. An experienced Orlando truck accident lawyer at Michael T. Gibson, P.A., Auto Justice Attorney, can explain your options and determine who may be liable for your financial losses. Call (407) 490-1271 or reach out online for a free consultation where you can learn more about the legal process and the compensation that may be available for you.

If you were injured in an accident, a head-on truck accident lawyer can help you understand the legal process and compensation that may be available to you.