What is an underride accident?

Car accidents involving large vehicles often put those in smaller vehicles in far greater danger. Physics simply determines that smaller vehicles tend to suffer greater damage and that extends to those riding inside of them.

One of the most dangerous types of accidents is known as an underride accident. This occurs when a smaller vehicle strikes a larger one and goes under it partially or completely. This is extremely dangerous since the bottom of the larger vehicle, like a box truck, crushes the passenger compartment of the other car.

For instance, imagine that a convertible is traveling straight down a road, toward an intersection. It is a two-way stop and the convertible does not have a stop sign. A semi-truck driver at the intersection believes it is a four-way stop, however, and pulls through the intersection at the same time. The car strikes the side of the trailer between the wheels, and the convertible goes under the truck at a high rate of speed.

These accidents can happen at any time and for numerous reasons, but many of them happen at night. A lack of visibility can contribute to the confusion and make it so that drivers do not see each other until the last second. Often, that means it is far too late for either driver to take any action that would avoid the crash.

Have you suffered serious injuries in an underride accident, or have you lost a loved one? If so, you need to know if you have a right to financial compensation for medical bills, funeral costs and much more.