Oklahoma Truck Underride Accident Attorney

Sharing the road with tractor trailers, or "big rigs," is an unavoidable, though dangerous, reality. Semi trucks dwarf passenger vehicles in both size and weight, making collisions between the two particularly hazardous for people in the smaller vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), collisions with tractor trailers are responsible for one in every nine highway deaths. Drivers of both tractor trailers and automobiles need to be extra alert while sharing the nation’s roadways.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a large truck, it’s important to get qualified legal counsel. We have many years of experience in representing Oklahoma City clients injured in accidents with tractor trailers. We have successfully won damages from both big rig owner/operators and large trucking corporations. Call Maples Harrison Zeaman PLLC at (405) 705-5050 for a free consultation.

In addition to being larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, tractor trailers are also taller. This height difference leads to what are known as "underride accidents." Underride accidents happen when a big rig stops suddenly and a car crashes into the back of it. If you’ve ever driven behind a tractor trailer, you’ve probably noticed that the hood of your car could easily slide beneath the rear of the trailer, but your windshield could not. In other words, your windshield and the upper bodies of you and your passengers could crash right into the lower rear edge of the trailer.

Underride accidents are a tragic and happen every day. A 2011 ABC News report stated that more than 350 people per year are killed in underride accidents in the U.S.

In response to this danger, truck manufacturers developed what is known as an "underride guard" or "rear impact guard." An underride guard is a steel frame that extends down from the rear of the trailer to about 22 inches from the ground. While the underride guard is a good idea, it doesn’t really work. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tested several rear impact guards, driving a sedan into the back of a parked tractor trailer at 35 miles per hour. All of the underride guards collapsed from the impact, resulting in what would have been fatalities if anyone had been in the car. Underride accidents don’t always result in death, but nearly always result in serious injury.

It is hoped that new regulations will require American manufacturers to build more effective rear impact guards in the future. If you or a family member has been injured in a collision with a tractor trailer, you may be entitled to compensation. We will represent the interests of you and your family against Oklahoma trucking companies and their insurers. Call Maples Harrison Zeaman PLLC today at (405) 705-5050 to discuss your situation with an OKC truck accident lawyer who works on a contingent basis.