Four types of critical crashes

Louisiana drivers, both passenger vehicle drivers and truck drivers, should know about the four critical crashes. By critical crashes are meant those that can result in serious losses, including catastrophic injuries. If they know about these and their causes, drivers can be better equipped to prevent them in the future.

First are lane-changing crashes. Blind spots and the failure to use, clean and adjust mirrors are often behind these. Other factors include failure to signal a lane change and the making of frequent or abrupt lane changes. Drivers can avoid these incidents by checking their mirrors, leaning forward to see blind spots and getting into exit lanes well in advance.

Second, drivers may crash after losing control. One may lose traction on a wet road, have a tire blow out after hitting a pothole, tip over after taking a sharp turn or drift out of one’s lane because of a distraction. Being attentive, following the speed limit and inspecting the vehicle before a long road trip are recommended.

Speeding, tailgating and having improperly adjusted brakes can lead to rear-end collisions, the third critical crash. Then there are run-under crashes, where passenger vehicles run under a big rig. Truckers should avoid U-turns, yield to oncoming traffic and, when making right-hand turns, keep the trailer’s rear close to the curb.

Oftentimes, truckers will be at fault for any truck collisions that arise, though passenger vehicle drivers may contribute as well. Louisiana follows a comparative fault rule, so even those who are partially to blame may recover damages. To find out how much, victims may consult an attorney. If they hire the attorney, this may make the filing and the negotiating for a settlement a little easier. If the trucking company refuses to pay out, victims may consider litigation.