Hit by a Commercial Truck in Houston? Here’s What to Know

Undefeated Houston Truck Accident Attorneys

Sideswipe accidents involving 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicles have surged in Texas, with fatal crashes nearly doubling over the last five years—even as other truck accident fatalities decline.  And in Houston, where big rigs constantly transport goods for the region’s bustling manufacturing, petrochemical industries, and port, these preventable truck crashes are becoming far more common.

Here is what you should know about this troublesome trend and how our undefeated Houston truck accident lawyers can help protect your rights and secure your family’s future if you or a loved one were injured or tragically killed in a sideswipe truck accident. 

What Is a Sideswipe Truck Accident?

A sideswipe truck accident occurs when the side of a large truck, such as an 18-wheeler, collides with the side of another vehicle.  This common type of side-impact crash can happen whether the vehicles involved are traveling in the same or opposite direction.

Unlike typical car accidents, sideswipes involving a large truck and a passenger vehicle are far from minor “fender benders.” The sheer size and weight of an 18-wheeler can easily turn what might seem like a minor collision into a deadly encounter, causing severe damage and life-threatening injuries.

Texas 18-Wheeler Crash Statistics 

Fatal sideswipe accidents have claimed an alarming 186 lives in Texas since 2018, according to data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.  Even more troubling is that over half of these fatalities—more than 51%—have occurred in just the last two years, indicating a sharp and concerning rise in these preventable tragedies.

Of the 158 deadly sideswipe accidents reported in Texas since 2018:

• 82 occurred in the last two years, underscoring the dangerous uptick in their frequency.
• 95 lives were lost in the last two years, illustrating the devastating human toll.

Additionally, the data paints a grim picture of the growing threat to Texas drivers, revealing that among the fatal truck sideswipes in the Lone Star State over the last two years:

• 30% involved speeding, a key factor that significantly increases the force of impact.
• 28% involved a rollover, one of the deadliest outcomes, especially for smaller vehicles.
• 45% involved more than two vehicles, highlighting the potential for sideswipe accidents to trigger chain-reaction crashes, which cause far more destruction and injuries.

In the greater Houston metro area—including Harris, Galveston, Montgomery, and Fort Bend counties—reported sideswipe crashes claimed over a dozen lives in the past two years and likely injured hundreds more.

Why Are Sideswipe Truck Accidents Dangerous? 

Sideswipe accidents have a reputation for being less serious than other types of truck accidents such as head-ons or rear-end crashes. But that assumption is dangerously misleading.

Sideswipe truck crashes are incredibly hazardous, often resulting in devastating consequences for the occupants of smaller vehicles. Even what may seem like a minor “glancing blow” can cause a smaller car to lose control, leading to serious multi-vehicle collisions or rollovers.

Tragically, it’s often the drivers and passengers of those vehicles who suffer the most severe or even fatal injuries when an 18-wheeler sideswipes their car.

Four factors that make large truck sideswipe accidents deadly:

• Size and Weight of the Truck: A fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 lbs., drastically increasing the risk of serious injury for the occupants of any passenger vehicle involved, regardless of the type of crash. Big rigs also sit higher off the ground, so their reinforced metal sides or bumpers commonly strike a car’s weak points, including the windshield or roof, amplifying the damage.
• Risk of an Underride: In sideswipe accidents, smaller vehicles can easily get pushed underneath the tractor-trailer. This type of “side underride” can cause severe damage to the upper portions of the car and lead to passenger compartment intrusion, resulting in catastrophic injuries.
• Large Area of Impact: When a truck swerves to avoid a head-on or rear-end collision, the resulting sideswipe can cause extensive damage from the front to the back of the passenger vehicle, far beyond a simple “grazing” hit. This significantly increases the risk of severe injury to occupants.
• Speed: The faster the truck is traveling, the more forceful the impact. Additionally, an 18-wheeler traveling at 55 mph requires about 50% more time to stop than a passenger car at the same speed, leaving little room to avoid disaster when things go wrong.

Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

Though any number of factors may cause a sideswipe crash, it’s been our experience that most are the result of negligence or reckless behavior on the part of the trucking company and its driver.

Common causes of sideswipe crashes include:

• ​​Inexperienced or untrained drivers, who lack the basic skills and know-how to drive safely and are far more common today due to an ongoing truck driver shortage. Their reckless or careless behavior may result in a sideswipe crash when they:
  • fail to check no-zones and blind spots 
  • fail to stay in a lane
  • fail to anticipate a merge
  • improperly adjust their mirrors 
  • are not familiar with roads and conditions
  • violate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 
• Speeding not only reduces a truck driver’s ability to control the vehicle, especially in unexpected situations, but makes it far more difficult to stop or maneuver safely in the event of a sudden stop or collision. Tragically, speeding was a factor in 33% of all fatal truck accidents last year, per the NHTSA.
• Distracted driving, including texting or eating, diverts a truck driver’s attention from the road and can result in a failure to notice vehicles around the truck, leading to improper lane changes or abrupt stops, or other dangerous maneuvers.
• Fatigue, often caused by long hours on the road or reckless Hours of Service violations, impairs a driver’s reaction times and decision-making abilities as much as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol would. 
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol significantly impairs judgment and reaction times and is illegal for obvious reasons. But even still, drug use has been a considerable factor in many trucking-related accidents.
• Aggressive Driving increases the risk of any type of truck accident, and especially those involving unsafe lane changing or improper passing.

A trucking company’s failure to perform legally required pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections or to properly load and secure cargo may also contribute to a sideswipe accident, as may a manufacturer’s faulty on-board equipment such as malfunctioning braking systems.

When a truck driver, trucking company, or manufacturer causes you harm, you have the right to file a truck accident lawsuit against the at-fault parties and recover the maximum compensation possible for your injuries and losses. 

Contacting an experienced Texas truck accident attorney is the only way to ensure you recover the FULL compensation you deserve and secure your family’s future. 

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Whenever an 18-wheeler or semi is involved, a motor vehicle accident is more likely to result in significant injuries that require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and even long-term nursing care.  Sideswipe crashes are no exception.

Common injuries sustained during an sideswipe truck accident may include:

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Severe or Fatal Burns
• Internal Bleeding
• Broken bones 
• Burns
• Amputations
• Wrongful Death

Given the severity of these injuries, it’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention even if you believe your truck accident injuries are minor. Prompt medical evaluation can identify internal injuries that might not be immediately apparent but could become life-threatening if left untreated. 

What to To Do After a Commercial Truck Crash

If you’ve been involved in an 18-wheeler accident, prioritize your health—call 911 and wait for EMS. Once they arrive, take photos and videos of the scene, gather contact information from witnesses, and note the trucking company’s name, DOT number, and insurance details. Be honest with the police, but avoid discussing fault.

Seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine, and follow your doctor’s instructions. Keep a record of the crash details, the police report, and all medical expenses.

And NEVER speak to a trucking company’s insurance company before you consult an experienced truck accident attorney to protect your rights.  

The aftermath of a catastrophic truck wreck is overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that you must act quickly to protect your future and to prevent the trucking company from taking complete advantage of you. They will stop at nothing to avoid responsibility for your injuries and losses, and they will not think twice about discrediting you or blaming you for what happened.

How Zehl & Associates Can Help If You Were Injured in Houston Commercial Motor Vehicle Accident

Sideswipe truck accidents are vastly different from typical car accidents. From the moment of impact, trucking companies and their teams of insurers and lawyers will do everything in their power to pay you and your family as little as possible for the harm they’ve caused. 

Only a team of highly-specialized truck accident lawyers know exactly how to level the playing field — and fast. 

At Zehl & Associates, we have resources, experience, and skills needed to take on the largest trucking companies in the world and not only win, but set records.

Once hired, we do everything it takes to recover the maximum compensation possible and support you every step of the way: 

• We make sure you receive the best medical treatment possible and that your medical bills and reasonable living expenses are paid while your case is pending. 
• We immediately put together a team of the best and brightest attorneys, engineers, and safety experts to independently investigate the accident, reconstruct exactly what happened, and prove how it could — and should — have been prevented. 
• We NEVER accept an inadequate settlement offer. We do whatever it takes to recover the maximum compensation for you and your family. And we are always prepared to take your case to trial, if necessary, where we remain undefeated in the courtroom.

Our top priority is to go above and beyond for our clients and their families, and our track record distinguishes our award-winning truck accident lawyers as among the best in the nation.

Undefeated Houston Truck Accident Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult

With Billions won and decades of experience, our Undefeated Truck Accident Attorneys have recovered the largest record-breaking verdicts and settlements in history on behalf of truck and 18-wheeler accident victims across Texas and throughout the United States. We have what it takes to stand up, fight, and win for you.

If you or a loved one were hurt in a large truck or 18-wheeler sideswipe crash, please call 1-888-603-3636 or send us a confidential email through our Contact Us form.

Our top priority is providing you with all of the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.

All consultations are free, and you won’t pay us a cent unless we win your case.