Anatomy of an Accident

Hollywood’s version of a truck crash: An exhausted truck driver pushing an 80,000-pound rig on a dark and rainy night; going 15 miles over the speed limit on the Interstate; a blaze of flame as the tractor-trailer crashes into an automobile filled with terrified passengers. This made-up scenario is what many motorists imagine is the typical truck-related crash. And in it, the finger of blame is easily pointed at the person behind the wheel in the truck cab.

But safety and liability experts know that catastrophes often don’t have simple causes and that fault may not be clear cut. They do know, however, that trucking companies could be facing serious consequences if their officers don’t understand all the ramifications of liability and all the costs engendered in bad accidents, no matter who is at fault.

The cost of a truck crash is like an iceberg: While some of it is visible, the bulk of it, and the biggest dangers, are hidden below the surface.

The immediate, direct costs can seem like small change compared with what is coming down the pike toward the uninformed trucking company owner. And some insurance industry veterans say the indirect costs of an accident are generally four times the direct costs.

For the full story, see the Sept. 13 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.