Truck Collision
Proving Liability in OKC Semi-Truck Accident Lawsuits
When a semi-truck crashes into a passenger vehicle, it can cause catastrophic injuries. Victims may suffer severe injuries or fatalities. Ray Maples is a semi-truck accident lawyer in OKC at Maples Injury Law, and we understand how to build a compelling case for proving fault in truck accidents in Oklahoma.
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The Problem with Oklahoma Truck Driver Negligence
Tractor trailer trucks, or semi trucks, can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds. That’s 20 to 30 times more than the weight of an average automobile. The average tractor trailer combo is 70 to 80 feet long, while the average length of a car is 13 feet long. Because of their size and weight, tractor trailers require 20 to 40 percent more time and distance to stop than cars do. This amount is greater on wet and slippery roads. When you consider these numbers, it’s no surprise that in most fatal truck accidents involving a semi truck and a car, the fatalities happen in the passenger vehicle.
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Manslaughter Charges for Oklahoma Truck Driver
Another deadly tractor trailer accident has resulted in charges against the semi truck driver. According to Oklahoma City’s NBC affiliate KFOR, the tractor trailer operator who plowed into a bus and killed four college students has been charged with manslaughter.
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Oklahoma Jackknife Truck Accident
Like it or not, automobiles and other smaller vehicles have to share the roadways with tractor trailers. Sharing the road with these larger vehicles is dangerous for automobile drivers can be dangerous because of the vast size and weight difference between cars and semis. Let’s look at a few statistics:
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Oklahoma Semi Truck Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), accidents with tractor trailers are responsible for one in nine highway deaths. While tractor trailer traffic is important to the economy of Oklahoma and the nation as a whole, the sheer size and weight of these trucks can make them especially dangerous to the drivers of passenger vehicles.
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Two Injured in Oklahoma Crash Involving Sanitation Truck
Two people were hospitalized following an Oklahoma accident involving a collision between an SUV and a sanitation truck. According to a News 9 report, the crash occurred near the intersection of Berry Road and Nebraska Street in Norman. Officials say the sanitation truck veered toward the left before colliding with a Chevrolet Tahoe. The 41-year-old driver of the truck and the 49-year-old driver of the SUV both suffered injuries that are not considered life threatening. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the truck-car collision, but it appears possible that the truck driver suffered a medical event before veering into oncoming traffic.
All commercial drivers must be properly trained and in adequate health to prevent tractor trailer accidents from occurring. When a driver is ill or experiencing a medical condition, he or she should not be behind the wheel of a large vehicle or any type of vehicle. Trucks are larger and heavier than other vehicles on the roadway and can cause devastating injuries if the driver loses focus, falls asleep, or suffers suddenly from a medical emergency.
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Bristow Man Killed in Collision with Semi Truck
A 51-year-old Bristow man was killed in an Oklahoma car accident after a semi truck struck his 2000 Chevy truck. According to a News On 6 report, the fatal truck accident occurred on Highway 66 where it intersects with South 501st West Avenue in Creek County. Officials are still trying to determine the cause of the crash, but it appears that the fatally injured victim was traveling west and the semi truck driver was heading east. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports that neither man was wearing a seatbelt.
The Bristow man was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash after rescue crews struggled for nearly two hours to free him from his crushed vehicle. The 40-year-old truck driver from Bartlesville was thrown from his cab during the collision. He was transported to a Tulsa hospital in stable condition.
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The Danger of Jackknife Truck Crashes in Oklahoma
When a tractor trailer jackknifes, the trailer will fold into the vehicle, forming an acute angle with the tractor. Jackknife accidents are extremely dangerous to the driver and to anyone who happens to be near the out-of-control vehicle. These types of accidents can result in a rollover, an underride collision with another vehicle, or even a runaway trailer situation. It is tragically common for these types of dangerous truck crashes to result in serious injuries and death.
When a tractor begins to skid, the trailer may begin to push the tractor from behind. A jackknife accident occurs if the trailer then swings out and forward while pulling the tractor backward and to the side. This is extremely dangerous for any vehicles that are around the truck as it skids. Once stopped, the jackknifed tractor trailer can still pose a crash risk to other vehicles on the roadway. Vehicles that cannot stop in time may crash into the jackknifed truck, resulting in a devastating collision.
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Stop Sign-Running Truck in Oklahoma Causes Fatal Crash
A teenager was killed and two others suffered critical injuries in an intersection truck accident in Cimmaron County, News 9 reports. Officials say the accident involving a 2009 four-door Dodge pickup and a tractor trailer occurred at the intersection of US Highway 64 and state highway 171, three miles south of Keyes. Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials say the Freightliner tractor trailer was heading south on the 171 when its driver ran a stop sign at the intersection and struck the Dodge carrying five teenagers.
A 19-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and two others were transported to an area hospital in critical condition. Two others were treated and released in local hospitals. The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured. It is not clear if any charges will be filed.
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Five Dead in Oklahoma City Truck Crash
Five people were killed in an Oklahoma City auto accident involving a collision between a car and a semi truck. According to The Associated Press, the fatal truck accident occurred at Interstate 235 and I-35 near the junction with I-40 in Oklahoma City. Officials say the five fatally injured victims were in a Chevrolet Camaro that veered out of control and went under a truck’s trailer. The roof was sheared off, the vehicle spun out of control, and the car caught fire. Officials are still investigating the cause of this fatal crash.
Underride crashes are some of the most devastating Oklahoma truck accidents. This type of accident occurs when a car crashes into the back or side of a trailer and goes underneath the trailer. These crashes are often devastating because the height of cars makes them vulnerable to going completely or partially under the trailer resulting in the roof of the vehicle being sheared off. Victims involved in this type of collision have been known to suffer devastating and frequently fatal injuries.
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