While a big rig accident can occur anywhere, they are most likely to happen on freeways. This is one of the reasons that big rig accidents so often involve serious injuries – all involved parties are likely to be traveling at high speeds. When you add the weight of the truck, it is not hard to see why these cases are so often deadly.
Even more concerning, these factors can be made worse on freeway ramps, where trucks are moving fast and turning at the same time. Keep reading to learn about why these areas so often result in accidents with severe consequences, and then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 if you would like to request a free legal consultation.
How Common Are Accidents on Freeway Ramps?
According to experts who study these types of accidents, more than 30% and as much as 45% of all truck accidents occur on or near freeway ramps. This includes accidents in which the truck is merging onto the freeway and accidents when the trucks are turning onto a street after leaving the ramp. In fact, merging accidents makeup around 20 – 30% of all big rig accidents, while accidents at the intersection of a surface street and freeway exit ramp make up between 10 – 15% of all big rig accidents.
Drivers Are Not the Only At-Fault Parties in Freeway Ramp Accidents
The Colorado Department of Transportation completed a study in which they looked at the causes of these accidents. While drive error, whether by a passenger vehicle driver or truck driver, is often one of the causes, it is not the only one. They also found that interchange designs, many of which are outdated or poorly maintained, and poor signage were also often significant factors in these car accidents.
The study looked at freeway ramp accidents in Colorado over a two+ year period. They found that the worst type of ramp, by which they meant the ramps with the highest number of accidents and the most severe accidents, was the loop type ramp. These are the types of ramp you find in a cloverleaf exchange. They often result in rollover accidents when truck drivers are driving too fast, and they cause accidents due to lack of room for the longer tractor-trailers that are so often on the roads today.
Several Parties Could Be Held Accountable
If the big rig accident was caused by the truck driver’s error, then it is likely that they or their insurance company is liable. Depending on the specifics of the case, their employer might be partially at fault. If the accident was caused or made worse by poor design or conditions on the ramp itself, then the government could potentially be partially at fault.
Contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 now if you would like to request a free legal consultation with an experienced attorney.
