When travelling Georgia’s highways and city roads, drivers are constantly on the lookout to see and avoid any potential hazards and accidents. And while semi trucks pose some of the biggest dangers, few accidents are as dangerous and potentially unavoidable as a jackknife crash.
But why are these accidents so dangerous? While most Georgia truck accidents have the potential to involve multiple vehicles, a jackknife is almost guaranteed to have a widespread effect and cause serious and even fatal injuries to those involved.
During a jackknife, the connection between the cab of a truck and the trailer it is pulling becomes compromised and the trailer becomes uncontrollable. The trailer then swings either left or right independent of the cab and can rotate so far as to close against the side of the cab, much like the folding of a knife, until they are pressed together and facing opposite directions. It is during this swinging that many injuries can occur for those in other vehicles.
Because of the speed and weight of the trailer, any cars that it hits can be smashed, pulled under the trailer, pushed off the road, or even pressed between the trailer and cab. Additionally, cars behind the swinging trailer may not have time to brake, resulting in an underride collision with the trailer. While these are not nearly as common as simpler forms of truck accidents, they are much more likely to result in fatalities.
Unfortunately, those who are most often affected the worst by a jackknife accident are completely innocent and had no role in causing the accident. If you or a loved one has suffered due to such a crash, the Atlanta jackknife truck accident attorney at The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C. can help you hold at-fault parties responsible and find the compensation you need for your losses. For more information, call us today at (404) 995-3955.
