When police officers arrive at the scene of a crash, they will assign fault for the collision. Chemical impairment, bad driving decisions and inadequate vehicle maintenance could contribute to causing a wreck.
The police have to look at all of these factors when they decide who is to blame for the outcome. Sometimes, multiple people have fault for a crash or the outcome of a collision. For example, trucking companies may have some blame for the tragic consequences of underride collisions.
While the company can’t control exactly how a trucker drives, they can control how they maintain and outfit their fleet of commercial vehicles.
Companies can invest in betters guards to protect the public
Federal commercial vehicle regulations require underride guards. Rear underride guards are necessary on all commercial trucks, which means you see them all the time. They descend from the back of the trailer to stop a vehicle from going under the trailer in a rear-end collision.
Unfortunately, not all rear underride guards are as effective as they should be. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has a list of recommendations for the best underride guard options out there. These guards are more effective at protecting the people in smaller vehicles during commercial crashes.
Sadly, many trucking companies will use cheaper guards or fail to maintain guards, allowing rust and age to compromise them. Quite a few trucking companies also decide not to use side underride guards, which are metal sheets that protect the area between the axles on the trailer. These guards prevent vehicles from passing under the trailer from either side in the event of a crash. Without guards or the best guards available, tragic but preventable collisions can occur.
Victims of truck crashes should look at all of their options
The sad truth about commercial trucking crashes is that they often claim lives and cause catastrophic injuries when people survive them. Those left with life-altering injuries and those who lose a loved one may have multiple options for compensation after a commercial vehicle crash.
There will likely be a commercial insurance policy to help pay for their losses. They may also be in a position to take legal action against a negligent driver or a truck company that contributed to the collision. Reviewing the details from the crash can give you a better idea of what options your family may have.