What Is an Underride Truck Accident?

Undefeated Houston Truck Accident Lawyers

Underride truck accidents occur when a smaller vehicle slides beneath the rear of a big rig or under the side of its trailer. These are some of the most horrific collisions on the road, often decapitating, killing, or severely injuring victims as a car’s roof is likely to shear off upon impact or crush inward.

Among the deadliest of all truck accidents, underride crashes claim hundreds of lives across the U.S. every year. But these accidents are entirely preventable, often resulting when a trucking company fails to equip its fleet with the safety measures, technology, and training needed to protect everyone who shares the road with its drivers.

Here is what you should know about underride collisions and how to protect your rights if you were injured in a truck or 18-wheeler accident.

Texas Underride Truck Crash Statistics

More than 400 people tragically lost their lives in underride crashes nationwide in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with underride accidents accounting for roughly 1% of all traffic-related fatalities and 5.4% of all trucking-related deaths. However, it’s well known that these numbers underrepresent the true extent of the problem.

A recent study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that underride truck crashes are not only significantly underreported by local law enforcement, but that police crash reports also vary widely in their accuracy and consistency from state to state.

Last year in Texas, the NHTSA’s Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool (FIRST) recorded 27 fatal large truck accidents in which a truck’s undercarriage sustained significant damage. Yet, the true number of fatal underride crashes is likely much higher, especially because it’s often those in the passenger vehicle who bear the brunt of such an impact while the truck itself may be largely unscathed.

Of the 490 fatal truck accidents involving two or more vehicles in Texas:

158 were rear-end accidents
190 occurred at an angle
41 were sideswipes

Any one of these accidents could have resulted in a tragic underride fatality that went unreported or misclassified.

Why Are Underride Collisions So Deadly?

Due to the high profile of 18-wheelers, underride accidents often lead to the roof of the passenger vehicle being crushed or completely sheared off. Safety features like airbags may fail to deploy, depending on the point of impact, leaving occupants vulnerable to severe, often fatal injuries—injuries far worse than those typically seen in other motor vehicle accidents.

Underride truck accidents include:

Rear underride crashes that often occur when a truck stops quickly and a car traveling behind a big rig becomes trapped beneath the trailer.
Side underride crashes that occur when a passenger vehicle collides with the side of a truck, such as in a t-bone or sideswipe accident, resulting in the car sliding under the trailer.

While federal regulations mandate rear guards on all tractor-trailers to withstand crash forces, there are currently no federal requirements for side guards. The same, big trucking companies that rely on overworked, inexperienced drivers, neglected vehicle maintenance, and other reckless tactics have worked hard to block federal regulations, citing costs and challenges that amount to nothing more than wanting to continue putting profits over safety.

But what’s the true cost? A recent NHTSA report to congress on side underride protection revealed a sharp increase in side underride crashes over the past decade, resulting in at least 89 fatalities annually since 2017. And a 2023 ProPublica investigation also found that hundreds of underride crashes each year involve vehicles colliding with the side of a truck.

What Causes an Underride Collision?

Underride collisions can be triggered by a variety of factors, but in our experience, the vast majority are a result of negligence or reckless behavior on the part of the trucking company and its driver.

Common causes of underride collisions include:

Defective Equipment or Poor Maintenance: Many underride crashes happen when trucks are not equipped with rear guards or are using outdated, insufficiently robust guards. Additionally, defective tail lights, broken reflective tape, or malfunctioning braking systems can make it difficult for other drivers to see or anticipate a truck’s movements, significantly increasing the risk of a catastrophic underride collision.
Unqualified or Untrained Drivers: Truckers who lack proper training may fail to take essential safety precautions. They may neglect to deploy road flares or reflective triangles when parked on the shoulder, or fail to activate emergency flashers when entering or exiting a roadway, which can leave other drivers unaware of the truck’s presence and result in a deadly underride accident.
Speeding: Excessive speed reduces a truck driver’s ability to control the vehicle, especially in unexpected situations. When a truck is speeding, it becomes more difficult to stop or maneuver safely, making it more likely that a smaller vehicle will slide under the truck’s trailer in the event of a sudden stop or collision.
Distracted Driving: Distractions such as texting, eating, or using a GPS can divert a truck driver’s attention from the road. Even a momentary lapse in concentration can result in a failure to notice vehicles around the truck, leading to improper lane changes, abrupt stops, or other maneuvers that create conditions ripe for an underride accident.
Driver Fatigue: Long hours on the road can lead to driver fatigue, impairing reaction times and decision-making abilities. A tired driver might not react quickly enough to avoid a collision or may drift into another lane, causing a smaller vehicle to become trapped under the truck’s trailer.
Improper Lane Changes: Changing lanes without adequately checking blind spots or signaling can cause a smaller vehicle to get caught in a truck’s path, especially when the truck is carrying a heavy load that makes quick maneuvers difficult.
Improper Cargo Loading: Overloading a truck or failing to secure cargo properly can destabilize the vehicle, making it harder to control. A swerving or tipping truck can easily lead to an underride collision, especially if the cargo shifts suddenly.
Poor Visibility: Conditions such as fog, rain, or nighttime driving reduce visibility, making it harder for drivers of smaller vehicles to see a truck or its trailer. If a truck is poorly lit or lacks reflective materials, the likelihood of an underride accident increases significantly.

Common Underride Injuries

Underride truck accidents are among the most devastating on the road, often leading to severe, life-altering injuries or even death. The sheer force of these collisions, combined with the vulnerable position of the smaller vehicle, can result in catastrophic harm to those inside.

Some of the most common injuries sustained during an underride truck accident include:

Traumatic Brain In jury (TBI)
Spinal Cord Injury
Severe or Fatal Burns
Internal Bleeding
Fractures
Amputations
Wrongful Death

Survivors of underride crashes often face a long and challenging road to recovery, with many requiring extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and even long-term nursing care.

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

How to Avoid an Underride Truck Crash

While truck drivers and companies have a significant responsibility to prevent these collisions, being aware of how to protect yourself as a motorist is crucial when it comes to staying safe on the road.

Always keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the truck ahead. The larger the vehicle, the longer it takes to stop.
Avoid blind spots. If you can’t see the truck driver’s mirrors, they likely can’t see you.
Pass a truck quickly but safely, and never cut back in too closely.
Drive even more cautiously in poor conditions such as during nighttime, fog, rain, or snow when visibility is reduce.
Watch for turn signals. Trucks need more space and time to make turns, especially right turns.
Stay focused on the road, not on your phone or other distractions.

By staying alert, following these precautions, and respecting the unique challenges of sharing the road with large trucks, you can significantly reduce your risk of being involved in an underride truck crash.

Billions Won: How Zehl & Associates Can Help After an Underride Truck Accident in Texas

Trucking accidents are extremely complex. They are nothing like a car accident. And in the aftermath, a trucking company will do everything in their power to pay you and your family as little as possible for the harm they’ve caused. The only way to recover the full compensation you deserve is to hire a team of highly-specialized truck accident lawyers with the resources, experience, and skills needed to stand up to the largest trucking companies in the world and not only win, but set records.

At Zehl & Associates, our success in and out of the courtroom has distinguished our trial lawyers among the best in the nation. Trucking companies and their lawyers know we cannot be outspent, overworked, or intimated.

Once hired, we immediately get to work recovering the maximum compensation possible and supporting you every step of the way:

We make sure you receive the best medical treatment possible and have access to the top specialists in the nation for your injuries
We ensure your medical bills and reasonable living expenses are paid while your case is pending and offering our support around the clock, whenever your family needs it
We obtain the truck driver’s logbook, the truck’s black box, and the ECM records and send an accident reconstruction team to inspect the scene and the vehicles involved in the crash.
We prove exactly what happened and how it could — and should — have been prevented, and we hold the trucking company fully accountable for ALL of your injuries, losses, and damages.
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.

But don’t just take our word for it. Hear what our clients have to say about working with us.

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.

If you or a loved one were hurt in a large truck or 18-wheeler underride 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.

Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Houston
2700 Post Oak Blvd #1000, Houston, TX 77056
(888) 603-3636
29.73890263937774, -95.4612824423294
Open 24 hours

Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Midland
306 W Wall St Suite 701, Midland, TX 79701
(432) 220-0000
31.99827039117601, -102.07752974593966
Open 24 hours