Types of Truck Accidents in San Diego: Causes & Liability

The type of truck crash often tells you where to look for the evidence.

A jackknife may point to speed, braking, and maintenance records. A rollover can raise questions about speed, cargo loading, and vehicle stability. An underride crash may require close examination of the trailer, its rear impact guard, lighting, and reflective markings.

Each type of collision presents a different set of questions about how the crash happened and who may be responsible.

This guide explains the most common types of truck accidents in San Diego, what causes them, and the evidence that can help prove what happened. For an overview of our firm's work in these cases, visit our San Diego truck accident attorney page.

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Key Points

• The crash type helps identify the evidence. Speed data, electronic logs, maintenance records, cargo documents, video, and physical evidence may answer different questions depending on how the collision occurred.
• Responsibility can extend beyond the driver. A motor carrier, cargo loader, maintenance company, freight broker, or product manufacturer may also be responsible.
• Federal trucking regulations matter. Commercial drivers and carriers must comply with rules governing vehicle maintenance, cargo securement, driver qualifications, hours of service, and safety equipment.
• California imposes a 55 mph limit on many large trucks. The rule applies to truck tractors and certain motortrucks covered by California Vehicle Code section 22406.
• Evidence should be preserved early. Electronic data, video, maintenance records, and physical components can be altered, overwritten, repaired, or lost after a crash.

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Jackknife Accidents

A jackknife occurs when the tractor and trailer move out of alignment and the trailer swings toward the cab, sometimes sweeping across several lanes of traffic.

Jackknifing can occur when a driver brakes too aggressively, travels too fast for road conditions, loses traction, or encounters uneven braking between the tractor and trailer. Brake defects, poor maintenance, improper loading, and driver error may all contribute.

What the case turns on: Electronic vehicle data, when available, can help establish speed, braking, and other vehicle activity immediately before the crash. Investigators may also examine brake components, anti-lock braking systems, maintenance and inspection records, tire condition, roadway evidence, video, and the distribution of the cargo.

A jackknife should not automatically be blamed on the driver. Federal law requires motor carriers to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain vehicles under their control. Our guide to federal motor carrier safety regulations explains these responsibilities in more detail.

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Underride and Override Crashes

An underride crash occurs when a smaller vehicle travels beneath part of a truck or trailer. An override occurs when a truck rides over a smaller vehicle.

These collisions can cause catastrophic injuries because the truck or trailer may enter the passenger compartment rather than striking the vehicle at the height its crash-protection systems were designed to absorb.

Rear Underride Crashes

Federal regulations require qualifying trailers and semitrailers to have compliant rear impact protection. 49 C.F.R. section 393.86 governs rear impact guards and rear-end protection for covered commercial vehicles.

Rear underride cases may involve questions about whether the guard was missing, damaged, improperly maintained, defectively designed, or unable to perform as intended.

Trailer lighting and conspicuity markings can also matter, particularly in nighttime crashes.

Side Underride Crashes

Side underride crashes present different issues because the vehicle enters beneath the side of the trailer rather than its rear.

The investigation may focus on whether the trailer was crossing or blocking travel lanes, whether it was adequately visible, the lighting conditions, the actions of the truck driver, and the collision geometry.

What the case turns on: The trailer itself should be preserved whenever possible. Investigators may examine impact damage, rear impact protection, reflective material, lights, photographs, video, electronic data, maintenance records, and the design of the trailer.

A potential product defect can also require investigation of the trailer or component manufacturer. Our San Diego auto defect attorneys handle these product claims when defective equipment contributes to a serious crash.

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Truck Rollover Accidents

Large trucks have a higher center of gravity than passenger vehicles, particularly when carrying tall or heavy loads. That makes speed, steering inputs, roadway geometry, and cargo distribution especially important in rollover crashes.

A rollover may occur when a truck enters a curve or freeway ramp too fast, makes an abrupt steering maneuver, travels onto a soft shoulder, or carries improperly distributed or shifting cargo.

California limits covered truck tractors and motortrucks to 55 mph under Vehicle Code section 22406, even where the posted limit for passenger vehicles is higher.

But the posted limit is not the only speed issue. A truck can be traveling below 55 mph and still be moving too fast for a curve, ramp, weather condition, or load.

What the case turns on: Electronic speed data, GPS and telematics records, roadway geometry, tire marks, cargo weight and loading records, bills of lading, photographs, video, and vehicle inspection can help reconstruct why the truck rolled over.

When cargo loading contributed to the instability, responsibility may extend beyond the driver and motor carrier to the company that loaded or secured the freight.

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Tire Blowouts, Brake Failures, and Mechanical Defects

A tire or brake failure can cause a driver to lose control of a commercial truck with little warning.

But a component failure does not necessarily mean the crash was unavoidable.

Federal regulations require motor carriers to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain commercial vehicles under their control. Maintenance records can reveal recurring brake problems, worn tires, unresolved driver complaints, prior roadside inspection violations, or repairs that should have been completed before the truck returned to service.

What the case turns on: Investigators may examine maintenance files, repair invoices, driver inspection records, roadside inspection reports, prior out-of-service violations, tire history, brake measurements, and the failed components themselves.

Preserving the physical evidence is particularly important. A tire, brake assembly, wheel, steering component, or other failed part can help distinguish poor maintenance from a manufacturing or design defect.

Depending on the evidence, responsibility may rest with the motor carrier, an outside maintenance contractor, or the manufacturer of the failed component.

Our guide to the truck accident investigation process explains the records and physical evidence that should be secured after a serious crash.

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Blind-Spot and Lane-Change Crashes

Commercial trucks have large areas around the tractor and trailer that may be difficult for the driver to see. These areas are commonly called blind spots or "no-zones."

A lane-change crash may occur when a truck driver fails to recognize a vehicle traveling beside the tractor or trailer, changes lanes without sufficient clearance, merges improperly, or fails to maintain an adequate lookout.

Federal regulations generally require trucks and truck tractors to have rear-vision mirrors positioned to provide the driver with a view along both sides of the vehicle. See 49 C.F.R. section 393.80.

What the case turns on: Dashcam footage, surrounding vehicle video, roadway cameras, witness accounts, mirror configuration, truck and trailer dimensions, lane markings, electronic data, and accident reconstruction can help determine the location of both vehicles before impact.

The trucking company's training and supervision may also become relevant depending on the circumstances.

The defense may argue that the smaller vehicle remained in a blind spot or otherwise contributed to the collision. California comparative-fault principles can therefore become important. Our guide to liability in truck accidents explains how responsibility can be divided among multiple parties.

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Wide-Turn Accidents

A tractor-trailer requires substantially more space to turn than a passenger vehicle. The rear wheels of the trailer follow a tighter path than the tractor, a movement sometimes called off-tracking.

That can create a serious hazard at intersections.

A truck making a right turn may strike or trap a car, bicyclist, motorcyclist, or pedestrian beside the trailer. A truck can also cross into an adjacent lane during the turn and collide with another vehicle.

Crashes may result from entering the turn from the wrong position, failing to signal, failing to maintain a proper lookout, turning when another road user is already alongside the truck, or attempting a turn that cannot be completed safely under the circumstances.

What the case turns on: Intersection cameras, nearby business surveillance, dashcam footage, witness statements, vehicle damage, roadway measurements, turn geometry, truck and trailer dimensions, and accident reconstruction often provide the clearest evidence.

These crashes can be particularly dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians because they have little protection from the tractor or trailer.

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Rear-End and Following-Distance Crashes

A loaded commercial truck requires more time and distance to respond and stop than a passenger vehicle under many driving conditions.

Speeding, distraction, fatigue, poor following distance, worn brakes, and delayed driver reaction can turn slowing traffic into a catastrophic rear-end crash.

California law prohibits a driver from following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances. See Vehicle Code section 21703.

California also imposes an additional 300-foot following-distance rule in certain circumstances when vehicles subject to the 55 mph truck speed restriction are traveling outside business or residential districts. See Vehicle Code section 21704.

What the case turns on: Electronic speed and braking data, video, skid or tire evidence, vehicle damage, GPS records, following distance, driver communications, and hours-of-service records can help determine whether the driver had enough time and distance to avoid the collision.

The maintenance history also matters when the driver claims the truck would not stop because of a mechanical problem.

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Cargo-Shift and Lost-Load Accidents

Improperly loaded or secured cargo can turn a commercial truck into a hazard even when the driver is otherwise operating normally.

Cargo may shift inside a trailer and destabilize the vehicle, fall from an open trailer, spill into traffic, or place excessive weight on an axle. Shifting freight can contribute to rollovers, jackknifes, loss of steering control, and braking problems.

Federal cargo-securement rules require cargo to be contained, immobilized, or secured so that shifting does not adversely affect the truck's stability or maneuverability. Drivers also have inspection responsibilities under 49 C.F.R. section 392.9.

What the case turns on: Bills of lading, loading records, warehouse video, cargo photographs, weight tickets, axle weights, seal information, securement equipment, driver inspections, and communications between the shipper, carrier, and loading company.

These records can establish whether the carrier loaded the truck or whether a separate shipper, warehouse, or cargo-loading company created the dangerous condition.

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Major Truck Freight Corridors in San Diego

San Diego sits at the intersection of regional, interstate, port, and cross-border freight movement. SANDAG identifies several highways in the region as important goods-movement corridors.

Important truck routes include:

• Interstate 5: A major north-south route connecting San Diego with Orange County and Los Angeles and serving freight moving through the region.
• Interstate 8: The principal east-west interstate connecting San Diego with Imperial County and Arizona.
• Interstate 15: A major inland freight corridor connecting San Diego with Riverside County and points north and east.
• Interstate 805: An important north-south route through central and South San Diego that connects with several major freight routes.
• SR-905: A critical link between the Otay Mesa border area and I-5 and I-805.
• SR-125 and the Otay Mesa network: Part of the highway system serving cross-border commercial traffic and the Otay Mesa ports of entry.

The roadway where a crash occurred can affect the investigation. Steep grades, curves, interchanges, construction zones, congestion, and border freight operations can each create different evidence issues.

Crashes involving interstate or cross-border shipments may also involve carriers, brokers, shippers, and insurers located outside California, which can make the resulting truck accident litigation more complex.

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Who Can Be Held Liable for a Truck Accident?

The truck driver is not necessarily the only responsible party.

Depending on what caused the crash, potential defendants may include:

• the truck driver;
• the motor carrier;
• the owner of the tractor or trailer;
• a freight broker;
• a shipper or cargo-loading company;
• a maintenance or repair contractor;
• a tire, truck, trailer, or component manufacturer; or
• a government entity responsible for a dangerous roadway condition.

The evidence determines which parties belong in the case.

A violation of a trucking or traffic safety law may also support a negligence-per-se theory when the requirements of California Evidence Code section 669 are satisfied. California's CACI No. 418 explains how a statutory or regulatory violation can create a presumption of negligence.

Our guide to who can be held responsible for a truck accident examines each potential defendant in more detail.

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What Evidence Should Be Preserved After a Truck Crash?

Determining the type of crash is only the beginning. The next step is preserving the evidence that explains why it happened.

Important evidence may include:

• electronic logging device records;
• engine and vehicle electronic data;
• GPS and telematics information;
• dashcam and surveillance video;
• driver qualification and training records;
• hours-of-service records;
• dispatch communications;
• maintenance and inspection files;
• roadside inspection history;
• bills of lading and cargo records;
• weight tickets;
• equipment leases and carrier agreements; and
• the tractor, trailer, tires, brakes, cargo securement equipment, and other physical evidence.

Some electronic information can be overwritten, and trucks or failed components may be repaired or returned to service.

Early preservation is therefore important in a serious truck accident case.

Our guide to the truck accident investigation process explains how this evidence can be identified and preserved.

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Compensation After a Serious Truck Accident

Truck crashes can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractures, amputations, burns, and other life-changing harm.

Depending on the circumstances, recoverable damages may include medical expenses, future treatment and care, lost income, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other losses caused by the injury.

Our guides to common truck accident injuries and compensation available after a truck accident explain these issues in more detail.

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Talk to Hulburt Law Firm About Your Truck Accident

The way a truck accident happened can reveal where to begin the investigation, but proving the case requires following the evidence beyond the crash scene.

Hulburt Law Firm investigates the driver, motor carrier, cargo, maintenance history, electronic data, equipment, broker relationships, insurance coverage, and roadway when the facts call for it.

If you or someone you love suffered a serious injury in a truck accident in San Diego, our San Diego truck accident attorneys, Conor and Leslie Hulburt, can review what happened and explain your options.

Call (619) 821-0500 or send us a message through our contact page for a free, confidential case review.

There is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.