Underride collisions occur when a passenger vehicle hits a commercial truck and ends up underneath it because of the difference in their size. Both side underride and rear underride crashes frequently cause massive damage to the smaller vehicle involved and severe injury to the occupants of that vehicle.
As a driver, avoiding an underride collision is likely one of your main priorities when you have to share the road with commercial vehicles. What can you do to reduce your risk of getting hurt in an underride crash?
Give large trucks more space
As someone in a passenger vehicle, you don’t really have control over whether or not an underride collision occurs. However, when there is sufficient space between your vehicle and a nearby commercial truck, you’ll have an easier time stopping and avoiding a crash which could then turn into an underride scenario. Avoiding the blind spots next to a truck and giving plenty of space when following one will reduce your risk of an underride crash.
The trucking company can help too
There are special guards designed to defend against both rear underride and side underride collisions. Many trucking companies do not invest in side underride guards at all, and cutting costs by buying the cheapest but technically compliant rear guards is more common than one would hope. When trucking companies don’t take the proper steps to protect the public, they may have some liability for the crashes that occur as a result.
Learning more about commercial vehicle crashes will make it easier for you to stand up for your rights after one.
