T-bone accidents or side impact accidents involving semi-trucks and tractor-trailers are often devastating. When a large commercial truck hits the side of a vehicle, the size and force of the larger vehicle can cause significant damage to the smaller car. In addition, the side of a car often has very little in the way of a crumple zone. There is usually only a few inches of metal, glass, and plastic separating the truck from the passengers inside the car.
In many cases, side-impact collisions and T-bone crashes in Hollywood and Florida occur when a truck or car is trying to change lanes. These collisions also occur very frequently at intersections when a truck or car runs a red light or fails to yield to another vehicle.
Are there things you can do to avoid a Hollywood or Florida T-bone accident? In some cases, the answer is no. Quite simply, sometimes these accidents happen so quickly that there are no evasive maneuvers possible. For example, in an intersection accident where a truck runs a red light, a car pulling out when they have right-of-way may simply not have time to react to the out-of-control larger vehicle.
In some cases, however, there are things you can do to increase your chances of survival:
- Drive a car with the best safety features possible. Keep your car in good condition and choose wisely when shopping for a vehicle. Choose a car with side-impact airbags and other features that can protect you. A larger, sturdier frame may better withstand the impact of a crash, especially at lower speeds.
- Check that an intersection is clear before moving ahead – even if you have the right of way. Once your light turns green, take a second to check to make sure that no one is about run a red light. Knowing that you’re in the right is cold comfort if you are injured because someone else was negligent.
- Wear your seatbelt. Your seatbelt is one of the best ways to protect yourself in any sort of accident, including a T-bone crash. A seatbelt keeps you in place and prevents you from flying around the inside of the vehicle or crashing through the windshield.
- Learn defensive driving. Defensive driving techniques can teach you evasive maneuvers and can teach you how to think a few steps ahead so that you are prepared if you have to move quickly to minimize the impact of a crash.
Have you or a loved one been injured in a T-bone or sideswipe accident in Hollywood or South Florida? Have you been injured in an intersection accident because someone ran a red light? In cases where a driver was reckless with your safety, you deserve answers and you deserve justice. To find out what options exist, contact Flaxman Law Group to explore your civil law options for compensation. Our law firm has already worked with thousands of truck accident and personal injury victims and we have secured many millions of dollars on behalf of plaintiffs just like you.