What is a Jackknife Accident and What Causes Them?

While jackknife accidents are not common, these accidents can cause heavy damage and severe personal injury. Just as with everyday commuter vehicles, semi-trucks can have situations where it is easy to lose control and can cause an accident. When a jackknife accident occurs, the trailer part of a semi-truck swings towards the cab of the truck and has the potential to interfere with oncoming traffic or cause destruction, damage, and injury.

What Can Cause a Jackknife Accident? 

There are many different things that may cause jackknife accidents, and some of them are the cause of negligence, while some may be due to unforeseen circumstances such as road conditions. Speeding is a major cause of jackknife accidents. If a semi-truck is speeding and comes to a turn, the excess speed can cause the trailer of the truck to swing around the cab. In certain cases, this may cause the trailer of the truck to swing around into oncoming traffic causing severe personal harm or even death.

Knowing how to brake properly is a very important part of driving a semi-truck. If a driver does not brake correctly, this can cause the brakes of the truck to lock up. When the brakes of a truck lock up, this can cause the trailer to jackknife around. Another thing that will increase the possibility of a jackknife accident is if the load of the truck is not properly secured or balanced.

Mother nature can cause her share of jackknife accidents as well. Another major cause of jackknife accidents is during unsavory weather conditions, such as rain or snow. If drivers do not take extra precautions while driving under these conditions, jackknife accidents are more likely to occur.

What Types of Injuries Can Occur In a Jackknife Accident? 

The injuries and damage that can occur with a jackknife accident can be significant, severe, and even sometimes deadly. If a car is hit by the trailer of a semi-truck, that trailer may be much heavier and moving at a higher rate of speed than the car, causing major property damage. It is also highly possible that being involved in a jackknife accident may result in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord damage, or bone fractures, along with numerous other less severe injuries.

It is also possible that being involved in a jackknife accident may cause long-lasting chronic issues, such as chronic pain or psychological trauma. Being involved in a severe accident doesn’t go away quickly. The effects may be felt for a very long period of time afterward, causing more pain and suffering than what happened at the scene of the accident.

Have You Been in a Jackknife Accident in Orlando?

If you were involved in a jackknife accident, even if it did not seem that severe, it is still important that you contact an Orlando truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. The experienced lawyers with Payer Law can help you get the compensation and satisfaction you need from the damages resulting from your accident. Please do not hesitate to contact us today and schedule your free, no-risk case assessment with us.

Resource:

safer-america.com/how-dangerous-are-semi-trucks-really/

https://www.payerlawgroup.com/should-you-wear-a-helmet-while-motorcycling-in-florida/