America’s Freight Superhighways: Where The Truck Accidents Happen & Why?

Take care and stay safe on the busiest trucking routes in the U.S.

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Every day, thousands of 18-wheelers transport cargo along America’s busiest freight lanes: from the intermodal yard loading and unloading containers from South Carolina and Georgia seaports, to the sprawling distribution centers responsible for stocking our store shelves and fulfilling e-commerce orders, to the consumer goods on trucks that come from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to the bread basket of the United States, the Midwest. Though they are essential arteries of industry, they are, in large part, also the site of a disproportionate share of the most serious tractor-trailer accidents that cause loss of life.

mack anthem semi truck

Why? Because the same factors that make these superhighways of commerce so indispensable for distribution chains—high speed, high volume, virtually around-the-clock traffic, and convoluted interchanges—also paint a target for catastrophic accidents.

If a big rig has hit you, you will need a truck accident lawyer who knows how trucking companies and their drivers operate on the interstate, and who knows the federal regulations that apply to the biggest commercial vehicles. That’s because these are not your average car crashes, just as the legal issues are not either.

Where the Risks Are Highest

The reason some trucking corridors are more dangerous isn’t due to poor engineering, but overuse.

I-70 through Colorado and Missouri, and I-95 running from Miami to Maine, are more than just roadways. They are economic bloodlines. During peak hours, semis are sandwiched between four-wheelers, panel vans, and RVs, fighting for road supremacy. If there is a work zone straight ahead, high winds, or a distracted trucker, the odds of a catastrophic collision increase.

One of the best-known areas is the stretch of I-10 that traverses Texas and Louisiana. The road is flat with few bends, allowing motorists to speed. There is a mixture of long-haul and local traffic, so there are many chances for trailers to slide into one another. It is a recipe for a jackknife or underride crash.

The Hidden Complexity of Truck Accidents

Accidents with large commercial trucks can be complicated. Unlike collisions with another passenger car, truck accidents often involve multiple parties. Liability doesn’t just point to the driver, but the logistics company, the maintenance company, the cargo loading company, or sometimes the actual manufacturer of the tires the carrier uses. Proving all this isn’t as simple as proving another driver made a critical mistake. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get the justice or the money you deserve. It just means you have to work with a truck accident attorney who knows how to build a case and when to call in experts in the specific facets of a collision.

This is important because you need to the knowledge and the experience on your side that understands the value of extracting black box data, will go to court to subpoena logs to prove a driver violated FMCSA hours of service rules, and will go after any insurance adjuster who tries to deny a claim or minimize a settlement.

Why Drivers Should Be on Their Game—Even When They’re Not in the Truck

It’s tempting to think truck safety is all on the truck driver. But many of the biggest crashes happen because car drivers don’t understand the limitations of a truck, and cut in too close or don’t anticipate how merging or crosswinds will affect the vehicle.

Understanding how trucks perform—how long it takes for them to stop, how much space they need to turn, how the weather can impact it—can help you to stay out of a truck’s danger zone. Along the I-5 in California or the I-80 corridor in the Midwest, where there are a lot of goods moving and people working, knowing what might happen is a matter of life or death.

When the Worst Happens

Whether you’re an over-the-road truck driver, a rideshare passenger in an Uber or Lyft, or a family on its way to a vacation destination, a major truck accident can uproot the lives of everyone involved. Recovery may take months. Insurance companies can offer settlements that are far less than you need and deserve. That’s because they know these truck accident cases are complex and difficult for people to fight on their own.

Don’t sign anything until you speak with a truck accident lawyer. They can explain what damages you may be able to recover—medical bills, lost wages, vehicle replacement or repair, permanent injury—and what proof you’ll need to win it.

Final Gear: The Road Isn’t Getting Less Crowded

With online shopping and freight demand higher than ever, truck traffic will only increase. So will the pressure on drivers—professional and personal—to navigate shared roads safely. So understand what they’re doing–they’re on the job, after all. Respect their size and scale and limitations. And know your rights if something goes wrong.