What Causes Backing Up Truck Accidents?

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Navigating a commercial truck in reverse, or backing up, can be challenging due to the limited visibility of the truck driver. That’s why truck drivers are trained to maneuver so that having to back up is avoided as much as possible. While trucks are not moving at high speeds when reversing, they can still cause serious, even fatal, damage to other vehicles and individuals.

How Do Truck Backing-Up Accidents Happen?

Backing-up truck accidents typically happen when truck drivers are in a hurry or careless. When a commercial or semi-truck driver fails to look behind them properly, they could hit other vehicles or pedestrians. The way these big trucks are designed makes seeing what is behind them impossible. Drivers simply cannot see what is immediately behind their trucks.

While backing up in a car is something that most people do easily every day, backing up in a commercial or semi-truck has many additional challenges. Some of those challenges include:

Vehicle Height

Commercial trucks, including semi-trucks, are higher off the ground than other vehicles. The additional height makes it harder to see smaller vehicles (like compact cars or motorcycles), bicycles, and pedestrians behind the truck.

Side and Rear-View Mirrors

Truck drivers rely on multiple mirrors, including side and rear-view, to see around the vehicles. Sometimes, it is difficult to determine how far away things are with these mirrors because they distort the distance. If a commercial truck driver doesn’t account for the distortion when backing up, it could lead to an accident.

Blind Spots

All vehicles have blind spots. Blind spots are areas outside of the truck where the driver cannot see due to the size or design of the vehicle. Commercial trucks have more and larger blind spots than regular cars. For example, in most commercial trucks, the drivers cannot see the first 20 feet behind them. This becomes a major problem when the truck has to back up. Even though commercial trucks are equipped with rear-view and side mirrors, they must exercise extreme caution when reversing the vehicle.

Bad Weather

Sometimes, adverse weather can limit a truck driver’s visibility. For example, fog, heavy rain, and snow reduce the distance drivers can see clearly. Unfortunately, weather conditions can contribute to the risk of accidents happening.

Driver Error

Many truck accidents involve one or more of the causes above. However, driver error is almost always a part of any commercial truck accident. For example, if a truck driver simply forgets to look back or fails to take the proper precautions when backing up, they may cause a preventable accident. On the other hand, drivers may be distracted, reckless, or driving aggressively. Whatever the cause, if a commercial truck driver is negligent, and someone is hurt or killed, they could be held legally responsible in a personal injury case for the damages they caused.

Filing A Commercial Truck Accident Claim In Pennsylvania

Backing up accidents involving passenger cars are not typically serious because they are low-speed crashes. However, when the same type of accident occurs with a commercial or semi-truck, the damages and injuries can be severe due to the truck's size. When injuries happen, victims of commercial truck accidents can often file a claim against the driver and/or the trucking company. So, they must hire an experienced truck accident attorney for legal representation.

After a Pennsylvania commercial truck crash, an attorney will:

  • Thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident
  • Identify the responsible parties, including any that are vicariously liable
  • Establish a case on the victim’s behalf
  • Prepare insurance claims
  • Handle all negotiations with insurance companies and corporate attorneys
  • Negotiate the best settlement for the victim when possible
  • File a lawsuit when a settlement can’t be reached
  • Represent the victim in a trial seeking a verdict on the victim’s behalf

Pennsylvania Truck Accident Attorneys At Ross Feller Casey

You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries if you have been injured in a commercial truck backing-up accident. The injuries caused by truck accidents can be extensive, requiring long-term care. While a financial recovery will not help you heal physically, it will help you relieve your family from the financial burden of medical expenses.

The experienced vehicle accident attorneys at Ross Feller Casey are fully committed to protecting the rights of victims like you and ensuring that those responsible for your injuries are held accountable. We have a team of medical doctors to review your medical records and assist with your claim. Let us help you get the justice you deserve.

Contact our office today to schedule your free consultation. Don’t worry about out-of-pocket costs. We handle all commercial truck accidents on a contingency basis, so you won’t pay a thing until your financial recovery is made in your case.

Disclaimer: Ross Feller Casey, LLP provides legal advice only after an attorney-client relationship is formed. Our website is an introduction to the firm and does not create a relationship between our attorneys and clients. An attorney-client relationship is formed only after a written agreement is signed by the client and the firm. Because every case is unique, the description of awards and summary of cases successfully handled are not intended to imply or guarantee that same success in other cases. Ross Feller Casey, LLP represents catastrophically injured persons and their families in injury and wrongful death cases, providing legal representation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.