Underride accidents are some of the most catastrophic collisions on the road. These crashes occur when a smaller vehicle—usually a car—slides under the trailer of a large truck during an accident. The roof of the car can be sheared off, causing fatal or life-altering injuries for the occupants.
While underride guards and other safety features are designed to reduce the severity of these accidents, truck driver error is still a major cause. Understanding when a truck driver is at fault can help victims pursue justice.
1. Improper or illegal truck parking
Parking in the wrong place—such as on the shoulder of a highway, in poorly lit areas or on narrow roads—can be deadly. If a truck is parked illegally or unsafely and is not properly marked with hazard lights, cones or reflective triangles, other drivers may not see it in time to react. In these cases, a car can crash into the back or side of the trailer, resulting in an underride accident.
2. Unsafe lane changes or sudden stops
If a trucker changes lanes without properly checking blind spots or signals abruptly in front of a smaller vehicle, the car may have no time or space to brake. If the smaller vehicle ends up sliding under the trailer due to the truck driver’s sudden or negligent maneuver, the fault likely lies with the trucker.
3. Failure to maintain safety equipment
Federal law requires commercial trucks to be equipped with functioning underride guards and reflective markings. Trucking companies and drivers are responsible for conducting regular inspections and maintenance. If they neglect these duties and a vehicle underrides the trailer as a result, the driver (and potentially their employer) can be held accountable.
In many tragic cases, the responsibility for underride accidents lies with the truck driver due to illegal parking, unsafe driving or poor maintenance. Victims of these collisions should enlist legal guidance to explore available legal options to hold negligent drivers accountable.