Large commercial trucks play a pivotal role in Colorado’s economy as they transport goods across the state and support various industries like agriculture, manufacturing, and retail. However, the sheer size and weight of these massive vehicles also pose significant dangers to road safety. Truck accidents result in severe injuries, emotional trauma, and significant financial strains, or worse, deaths.
The Colorado truck accident lawyers at Bowman Law recognize the importance of understanding how these crashes happen to help prevent them and ensure that any at-fault party will be held responsible. This article hopes to discuss the causes of truck backing accidents and the devastating injuries they can cause, providing victims support in their recovery and pursuit of justice.
A truck backing accident is a collision where a large commercial truck, a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or delivery truck, hits an object, vehicle, or person while reversing or backing up. It occurs when the truck is moving in reverse. Due to their size and limited visibility, backing maneuvers can be dangerous. Even with properly adjusted mirrors, drivers can still miss seeing smaller vehicles, pedestrians, or objects behind the massive trucks.
A 2022 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded more than 500,000 large trucks that were involved in police-reported traffic crashes. One of these collisions, the most common, is backing accidents. According to the agency, heavy trucks in backing crashes accounted for an estimated 56 fatalities and about 1,000 incapacitating injuries a year. This statistic highlights the serious hazards posed by backing trucks.
Truck backing accidents can happen in various settings, often when a truck maneuvers in confined or congested spaces. Backing crashes, which require precise movements, take place in loading docks as trucks align with loading bays. Backing accidents also occur in warehouses and distribution centers due to the tight spaces between buildings or storage areas. At construction sites, accidents transpire when trucks back up to deliver materials in areas with limited visibility and busy activity.
In parking lots, trucks backing into or out of spaces pose risks to pedestrians and other vehicles, especially during business hours. On the other hand, in residential areas, home deliveries in narrow streets or driveways result in backing accidents. Urban streets are another frequent site for these collisions, where trucks that deliver goods to businesses back into tight or congested areas.
In industrial parks, trucks that maneuver between buildings or shared loading zones with limited space may initiate backing collisions. Similarly, service areas along highways are prone to these crashes as trucks park or leave rest stops. In waste management facilities, garbage trucks backing up to dumpsters or compactors are susceptible to backing accidents due to tight operational spaces. Meanwhile, in agricultural settings like farms or grain elevators, trucks that back up to silos or storage areas may collide with other vehicles, objects, or pedestrians in the area.
Truck backing accidents result from a combination of factors that obstruct the ability of a driver to do a safe maneuver. Limited visibility is one of the key issues. Large trucks have significant blind spots, especially behind the vehicle, which make it difficult for drivers to see obstacles or pedestrians. Environmental factors like poor lighting, adverse weather, or narrow spaces further complicate the capacity of the trucker to evaluate the surroundings. The absence of or failure to maintain backup cameras and mirrors can also prevent drivers from properly assessing their surroundings.
Over 90% of backing accidents are attributed to the driver being unaware of obstacles or using improper backing techniques. In truck-related cases, driver fatigue, inattention, or distraction plays a crucial role, as tired or distracted drivers are more likely to miscalculate distances or miss obstacles while backing. Similarly, improper backing techniques due to a lack of proper training can lead to unsafe situations. In addition, failing to use a spotter can also contribute to the collision risks.
Mechanical issues, such as steering or brake problems, can impair the ability of the trucker to make precise movements. In some cases, complacency among experienced drivers may cause them to be overconfident and skip essential safety checks. Time pressure from scheduling demands can cause truck drivers to rush and commit mistakes during the backing process. Lastly, a lack of proper signage or markings in loading areas or parking lots can create confusion, leaving truckers uncertain of safe traffic patterns.
In Colorado, truck backing accidents can lead to a range of injuries. Our Colorado truck accident lawyers have seen it all. The size and weight of commercial trucks cause the injuries to be more severe and life-threatening compared to accidents involving smaller vehicles. The common types of injuries associated with truck backing collisions are:
Victims of Colorado truck backing accidents may be entitled to various types of damages, depending on the specifics of the crash, such as the severity of the injuries sustained by the victims and liability. Economic damages cover quantifiable financial losses like medical expenses. These include emergency treatment costs, hospital bills, surgeries and procedures, medications, rehabilitation and physical therapy, checkups, and future medical care related to the injury. Lost wages and earning capacity are measurable compensation for lost income and benefits due to time off work for recovery and reduced earning potential if the injury affects the ability to work long-term. Another is property damage which aims to recover the costs of repair or replacement for damaged vehicles or personal belongings.
Meanwhile, non-economic damages are compensation for losses that do not have a specific monetary value, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress and mental anguish, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In cases where a truck backing accident leads to a fatality, surviving family members may file a claim for wrongful death damages. These are designed to cover funeral and burial costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.
Punitive damages may also be awarded if the truck driver or trucking company is determined to have acted with gross negligence or recklessness. These damages are intended to punish the responsible party for their misconduct and discourage similar behavior in the future.
At Bowman Law, our Colorado truck accident lawyers specialize in helping victims of truck accidents secure the settlement they need to recover and rebuild their lives. With our extensive experience in representing and handling truck-related injury claims, we hold negligent parties accountable and get our clients the justice they deserve.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a truck backing accident, our skilled personal injury lawyers will assist you with your case. We will guide you through every step of the process and advocate for your rights. Do not hesitate to contact our office at 720-863-6904 and let us fight for you. Our Colorado truck accident attorneys will protect your best legal interest and actively seek the maximum compensation you are entitled to.
We encourage you to take the first step and give us a call for a free consultation. Our firm is situated in Denver and serves the Front Range, including Colorado Springs, Boulder, Fort Collins, Westminster, Lakewood, and Aurora.
Owner and Managing Attorney
Jerry Bowman, J.D., M.A., Owner and managing attorney of Bowman Law LLC, takes his responsibility to the legal profession seriously and dedicates his time and effort to providing quality and competent legal representation to clients in Denver and throughout all of Colorado. He holds an MA in Political Science from Wayne State University and earned his law degree in two and a half years from Michigan State University College of Law.
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