T-Bone Collisions Involving Trucks: Why Are They So Deadly?

T-bone collisions, which are also called side-impact crashes, are some of the most dangerous types of vehicle accidents. When the front of one car hits the side of another, making a “T” shape, this is called a T-bone accident. When these kinds of crashes happen with big commercial trucks, the results are usually terrible. Let’s look into the reasons these crashes are so terrible.

Huge Trucks and Their Huge Weight

Trucks used for business are much bigger and heavier than cars and SUVs. A commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, while a passenger car weighs only about 3,000 pounds. Because trucks and cars are so different in weight, when one crashes into the side of the other, the force of the impact is very high.

The car takes most of this force, which often does a lot of damage to the car and its occupants. This is why it’s important to get help from truck accident lawyers who are trained to handle these difficult and devasting cases.

In a T-bone accident, the truck’s sheer size makes it easy for it to crush the side of a passenger car. When someone is hit like this, they could get serious injuries like broken bones, internal injuries, or traumatic brain injuries. It’s also possible that the people inside the car could be stuck inside the wreckage, which would make rescue efforts harder and make it more likely that they would die.

Passenger Cars Don’t Have Enough Side Protection

Most passenger cars are made with strong crumple zones in the front and back to absorb force in head-on and rear-end collisions. But most cars’ sides don’t have the same amount of protection.

When a T-bone accident with a truck happens, the force of the impact is mostly felt on the car’s weaker side panels, which don’t offer much protection. This can cause door intrusion, which is when the car door is pushed inward a few inches, hitting the people inside.

• Lack of Side Airbags: Some new cars have side airbags, but they might not be strong enough to protect you from the force of a truck’s hit.
• Direct Exposure: Because the side of the car doesn’t have any strengthened structure, the people inside are often left directly exposed to the force of the crash, which increases the risk of serious injuries.

High Chance of Secondary Collisions

When trucks collide in a T-bone, it often leads to secondary collisions. The impact can push the car that was hit into other lanes, where it could be hit by more cars coming the other way. This makes the crash worse and can lead to a pileup of several cars.

• Vehicle Spin-out: When a truck hits a car, the huge force of the impact can make the car spin out of control, making it more likely to hit other cars or objects.
• Rollover Accidents: The accident can also cause a vehicle to rollover, especially if it hits another vehicle hard. Rollovers are very dangerous because they can cause multiple crashes that can hurt people very badly.

Limited Time for Reaction and Evasive Action

Truck drivers may not be able to see well, which can make it hard for them to see smaller vehicles coming up behind them. Most of the time, T-bone accidents happen at junctions, where sudden impacts are likely to happen. Because they are bigger and heavier, trucks need more space to stop, and drivers often have less time to avoid an accident.

• Intersection Accidents: A lot of T-bone accidents happen where cars are turning or running red lights. Because these accidents happen so quickly, truck drivers don’t have much time to slow down or turn to avoid hitting something.
• Blind Spots: Trucks have large blind spots, especially on the sides. This can make it hard for truck drivers to see smaller cars, which increases the risk of a side-impact accident.