Most major collisions are the result of what one of the drivers involved did or did not do. For example, someone might exceed the speed limit, which would increase their chances of losing control in traffic. Most of the time, major wrecks are the fault of one or more of the motorists involved in the incident.
However, there are scenarios in which other parties may have some responsibility for a wreck. When semitruck collisions occur, the employer of the truck driver might have some responsibility. Particularly when it comes to underride collisions, the company could have likely prevented the worst-case scenario with proactive preparation.
There are underride guards available
Crashes between commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles often have tragic outcomes. The size and weight difference can potentially lead to a scenario in which the truck goes over the passenger vehicle or the passenger vehicle forces display under the truck. These underride collisions often have life-changing consequences for those in the smaller vehicle.
Transportation companies could potentially prevent a large portion of these crashes by investing more in underride guards. Choosing to buy the best rear underride guards available and replace them as they age could protect others in traffic from the risk caused by semi-trucks. Investing in side underride guards even when they are not mandatory could also reduce the number of tragic underride crashes that occur each year.
If better safety equipment might have reduced the severity of a crash, the business that maintained or own the vehicle could have some degree of liability for the tragic outcome of an underride collision. Identifying who is at fault for a recent can lead to more effective compensation requests brought by those affected.