Underride accidents can be very dangerous, and they involve two vehicles with a large size discrepancy. The smaller vehicle ends up becoming pinned under the larger vehicle, giving the accident its name.
For example, a semi-truck could be turning out of a parking lot onto a two-lane road. If the driver doesn’t wait for cross traffic to clear, they may pull out and block the road as a smaller vehicle, like a convertible, approaches the driveway. The convertible hits the trailer and slides under it, between the truck’s wheels.
Safety systems don’t work
The first reason that these accidents are so dangerous is that some of the safety systems on the smaller vehicles are simply not going to work as intended. For instance, cars have steel frames and crumple zones that are designed to protect the passengers. But these are usually designed in anticipation of a bumper-to-bumper accident. If the front edge of the tractor-trailer hits the car’s windshield, neither the frame nor the crumple zones are nearly as effective.
Upper-body injuries are more likely
Secondly, because of this high impact point, it’s more likely that people will suffer head injuries, neck injuries, and chest injuries. In many other accidents, it’s common for people to have lower body injuries, such as broken legs or serious knee injuries. As severe as these can be, they’re much less likely to be fatal than a head or neck injury.
Seeking compensation
Have you been seriously injured in an underride accident? You may be able to seek financial compensation from the other driver, so take the time to look into your legal options.