How do truck accidents differ from car crashes?

While all motor vehicle accidents can cause harm, not all collisions are created equal. When a passenger car and a large commercial truck collide, the consequences are often far more severe and complex. These accidents involve different physics, higher stakes, and more complicated legal claims. 

If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck crash, understanding how truck accidents differ from car crashes is essential to protecting your rights and pursuing fair compensation.

In this article, we explore the key differences between typical auto accidents and commercial vehicle accidents, and why hiring an experienced Hawaii truck accident lawyer is critical after a serious collision.

Size and Force: The Physics Behind the Impact

The most obvious difference between a car crash and a truck accident is the sheer size and weight of the vehicles involved. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, whereas the average passenger vehicle weighs in at about 3,000 to 4,000 pounds. That size disparity leads to:

• More forceful impacts in collisions
• Greater likelihood of severe or fatal injuries for occupants of smaller vehicles
• Longer stopping distances, which increase the risk of rear-end crashes
• More extensive property damage

Because of these factors, truck accidents often involve catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and fatalities.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents vs. Car Crashes

While driver error is a leading cause of all motor vehicle accidents, truck crashes tend to involve unique risk factors tied to the nature of the trucking industry and the challenges of operating large commercial vehicles.

Causes More Common in Truck Accidents:

• Driver fatigue due to long hours on the road, despite hours-of-service regulations
• Improper cargo loading, which can shift weight and lead to rollovers or jackknifes
• Brake failure or tire blowouts, stemming from poor maintenance
• Inadequate driver training for handling large vehicles in varying road conditions
• Blind spots, which are much larger on trucks than on passenger cars
• Pressure to meet delivery deadlines, which may encourage speeding or skipping rest breaks

In contrast, car crashes more frequently result from speeding, distracted driving (like texting), impaired driving, or failure to obey traffic signals.

Severity of Injuries and Fatalities

Due to the size and momentum of trucks, the injuries sustained in commercial vehicle accidents are usually much more serious than those from a typical car crash. In many cases, victims require long-term medical care or face permanent disability. Truck accidents are also more likely to be fatal.

Statistics show that in fatal crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a truck, it’s almost always the passenger vehicle occupants who suffer the fatality. This tragic reality reflects the significant dangers posed by large trucks when collisions occur.

More Complex Liability in Trucking Cases

One of the biggest legal differences between truck and car accidents is who can be held liable. In a car crash, it’s usually the other driver and their insurance company. But in a truck accident, multiple parties could be responsible, including:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company (for hiring unqualified drivers or pressuring unsafe schedules)
• The vehicle maintenance company
• The manufacturer of defective truck parts
• The cargo loading company

Determining liability requires an in-depth investigation into the chain of responsibility. A knowledgeable Hawaii truck accident lawyer can help identify all potential defendants and ensure that no party escapes accountability.

Federal and State Trucking Regulations

Truck drivers and trucking companies must comply with strict federal and state regulations designed to improve safety on the road. These include:

• Hours-of-service rules, which limit how long a trucker can drive without rest
• Drug and alcohol testing requirements
• Regular vehicle inspections and maintenance logs
• Weight limits and cargo securement standards
• Commercial driver’s license requirements

Violations of these rules can directly contribute to accidents and may serve as evidence of negligence in a personal injury claim. However, identifying regulatory breaches and obtaining records from trucking companies often requires legal intervention.

Insurance Coverage Differences

Commercial trucks carry much higher insurance policy limits than regular passenger vehicles, often in the range of $750,000 to several million dollars. While this means greater potential for full compensation, it also signals that the stakes are higher for insurance companies and their legal teams.

As a result, insurers will often fight aggressively to deny or minimize claims after a truck accident. Victims may face:

• Delays in the claims process
• Lowball settlement offers
• Efforts to shift blame onto the injured party
• Requests for recorded statements to use against you later

That’s why having a skilled attorney by your side is so important. A Hawaii truck accident lawyer can handle negotiations, protect you from bad-faith tactics, and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.

Key Evidence in Truck Accident Investigations

Truck accident cases require different types of evidence compared to regular car crashes. A thorough investigation may include:

• Driver logs to check for HOS violations
• Black box (event data recorder) data, which captures speed, braking, and steering before the crash
• Maintenance and inspection records
• Employment and training files for the driver
• Dispatch communications between the driver and the trucking company
• Cargo manifests and loading records

Preserving this evidence quickly is critical, as trucking companies may try to delay or withhold information. Your attorney can issue legal demands to prevent the destruction of vital documents and data.

Longer and More Challenging Legal Battles

Truck accident claims often take longer to resolve than car accident cases because of:

• The number of parties involved
• The complexity of federal regulations
• The severity of injuries and higher damages at stake
• Resistance from trucking companies and insurers

While many claims are settled out of court, some require filing a lawsuit and preparing for trial. Working with an attorney who has experience handling complex commercial vehicle accidents is essential to navigating this process effectively.

Damages You Can Recover After a Truck Accident

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Hawaii, you may be entitled to recover damages for:

• Medical expenses (including future care)
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Property damage
• Loss of enjoyment of life

In cases involving gross negligence, such as knowingly violating safety regulations, punitive damages may also be available.

Why You Need a Hawaii Truck Accident Lawyer

Given the complexities of truck accident claims, it’s not enough to hire just any personal injury attorney. You need someone who understands both the legal intricacies and the local landscape. A Hawaii truck accident lawyer brings:

• Knowledge of Hawaii-specific traffic laws and court procedures
• Experience dealing with local and national trucking companies
• Access to investigators and expert witnesses
• The ability to take swift legal action to preserve evidence

Most importantly, a local attorney understands how a serious accident affects your life in Hawaii, physically, emotionally, and financially, and will fight for justice on your behalf.

Contact a Hawaii Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision involving a commercial truck, you deserve skilled legal representation from someone who understands the unique challenges of these cases. 

The experienced team at Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner is here to help you navigate the complexities of your claim, uncover the truth, and pursue the full compensation you’re entitled to. Call us today at (808) 537-2525 to speak with a trusted Hawaii truck accident lawyer during a free consultation.