Motorist Fatally Injured in Tragic Underride Truck Accident

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Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers discuss dangerous underride truck accidents. During the morning hours of July 10, a motorist was fatally injured after his Toyota Corolla veered off the highway and ran into the rear of an Amazon Prime tractor trailer that was stopped on the shoulder. The accident occurred on I-95 South near Lorton Road in Virginia. The actual cause of the accident is not yet clear, but Virginia State Police are in the process of investigating the crash. Underride accidents are among the most serious types of truck accidents because the passenger vehicle ends up underneath the truck, which often results in devastating, fatal injuries.

These fatal, yet preventable accidents are responsible for hundreds of horrific deaths each year. The STOP Underrides! Act of 2017 was drafted to equip large trucks with underride protection and prevent vehicles from sliding under trucks. According to several research reports, transportation officials have been aware of the underride problem for years. Effective and comprehensive underride protection is long overdue. The following are common causes of underride truck accidents:

  • Taillights were not on or not working properly. If a motorist is unable to see a truck because the taillights were not on, were not working, or were too dirty, there is a greater risk of colliding into the rear of the truck.
  • Reflective tape is not visible. All new commercial trucks are required to be equipped with reflective tape on the sides and rear of the trailer. However, some companies have not retrofitted older trucks with reflective tape. This can make a commercial truck much more difficult to see, particularly at night or during inclement weather.
  • Truck driver parks too close to the roadway. Unless the truck is disabled, a truck driver should never park on a road where the speed limit is over 25 miles per hour. Even if the truck is disabled, the driver must put warning devices out to warn oncoming drivers.
  • Truck does not have rear guards or the guards have a design defect. Installing rear guards on trucks is one of one the most effective ways to prevent passenger vehicles from sliding under a truck in an accident. A truck carrier can be held liable for the accident and the resulting injuries if the truck did not have rear guards or there was a design defect.
  • Truck was moving too slowly or backed up into oncoming traffic. If the truck is travelling well below the speed limit, an approaching vehicle could hit the rear of the truck and slide underneath it. In addition, if a truck driver is backing up and fails to notice a passenger vehicle behind them, it can roll into it, causing the passenger vehicle to end up underneath the truck.

Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Seek Justice for Victims of Underride Accidents

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in an underride truck accident, you are urged to contact the Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. We understand how devastating these accidents can be and we will aggressively pursue the maximum financial compensation you deserve for your injuries. We will not stop fighting for you until justice has been served. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent truck accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.