What You Should Know About Truck Back Up Accidents

Sharing the roadway with a semi-truck can be intimidating. Feeling unsafe around these massive vehicles is understandable. Passenger vehicles are at a serious disadvantage when it comes to a collision with a semi-truck. However, size isn’t the only reason trucks put people at risk. Large 18-wheelers tend to have many blind spots that make certain maneuvers more challenging. As a result, one of the more common types of crashes involving semis is truck back-up accidents. These accidents happen when an 18-wheeler reverses, but the driver fails to see a vehicle or pedestrian in their pathway. The consequences of these crashes can be deadly.

What causes truck reversing accidents?

Truck reversing accidents have many causes, but the main issues are poor visibility and blind spots. Tractor trailers have several large blind spots, meaning passenger vehicles and pedestrians often enter these hard-to-see spots without even knowing they’re putting themselves in harm’s way. Other common causes of truck reversing accidents include:

• Poor lighting
• The time of day
• Poor weather conditions
• Lack of experience or training
• Reversing too fast
• Reversing in a crowded or busy area
• Sun glares
• Defective or malfunctioning parts
• Distractions
• Driver mistakes or errors
• Careless or reckless driving
• Inadequate or negligent maintenance

Where do most truck backing accidents occur?

Truck accidents can occur anywhere. Any time that a semi-truck driver needs to put their truck in reverse, there is a possibility that a truck backing accident can happen. The following are some of the most common places where truck backing accidents occur:

• Loading docks
• Confined spaces
• Public streets
• Downtown areas
• Work zones
• Parking lots
• Driveways
• Neighborhoods

Truck drivers often need to reverse their trucks to fit into tight parking spaces, be unloaded at loading docks, or even when they make a wrong turn or cannot fit under a bridge or clear a downtown street. Therefore, truck drivers must know and understand what is required to successfully back up a truck without striking any vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and more.

Why are truck back-up accidents so dangerous?

Truck back-up accidents are dangerous because 18-wheelers are very tall, wide, and heavy. Therefore, anyone in an 18-wheeler’s path while it is being backed up is at risk of experiencing catastrophic and fatal injuries. Even if a victim is able to survive an improper back-up truck crash, their injuries will likely be permanent and life-changing. In simple terms, these accidents can crush and destroy vehicles and human bodies very quickly, resulting in these devastating injuries:

• Broken and fractured bones
• Internal organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Amputations
• Whiplash
• Crush injuries
• Death

Who can be held accountable for truck-backing accidents in San Antonio?

Depending on the facts and circumstances of your accident, there could be a variety of responsible parties that you can hold accountable for a truck backing accident, such as:

• The truck driver: Most of the time, the truck driver should be held accountable for an improper backup crash. This is because the truck driver may have acted negligently in some way or made a careless or reckless mistake, which resulted in the truck backing accident. For example, they may have been looking at their cell phone when they were supposed to be looking at their blind spots and ensuring they were backing up without hitting anyone.
• Their employer/the trucking company: The truck driver’s employer (the trucking company) may be held accountable for the truck backing up accident through vicarious liability. Also, they might be directly negligent if they failed to provide the proper education or training to the truck driver on how to back up. They can also be held accountable if they hire a driver who does not have adequate experience or a license to drive the truck safely. In addition, if the employer or trucking company failed to maintain their trucks and the backup accident occurred due to a defective or worn part, they can be held accountable.
• The loading company: Loading companies may be held accountable if they fail to fulfill their responsibilities to the truck driver. For example, if the loading company was supposed to ensure that the loading area was safe and the pathway was clear for the truck driver to put their truck in reverse and unload and load, the loading company may be held accountable for the backup accident.
• Other drivers: Sometimes, accidents can still occur regardless of how carefully or safely a truck driver backs up their truck. This is usually because another driver may become impatient and try to go around the truck that is backing up, resulting in a truck backup crash.

How can drivers and road users avoid being struck or injured by a truck backing up?

Whether you are a driver, pedestrian, bicyclist, or another road user, knowing how to keep yourself safe and avoid being struck or injured by a truck backing up is important. Here are five tips to help you do this:

1. Never park your vehicle, scooter, or bicycle behind a truck.
2. Always watch for moving trucks near you, and listen for the beeping noise that indicates they are backing up. This includes neighborhoods, downtown streets, highways, parking lots, and more.
3. Never walk near or behind a truck.
4. Never assume the truck driver can see you or your vehicle behind them. If you are behind a truck and they put their truck in reverse, you may need to honk your horn to let them know that you are there.
5. Do not drive behind a truck for long. It is always best to make your way around the truck as soon as it is safe to do so.

Working with a San Antonio truck accident lawyer from Pat Maloney: Accident & Injury Attorney can increase your chances of a strong and successful outcome. Even though truck accidents are known to quickly become difficult and complex, our legal team is here to evaluate the facts and details of your claim, determine liability, help collect evidence, inform you of your legal rights, and ensure that you take the best course of action to obtain fair compensation. All you have to do to get started is call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free consultation at our firm in San Antonio.