An accident with an 18-wheeler truck is very different than other types of motor vehicle accidents. These large vehicles are many times bigger than automobiles and carry heavy loads. It is because of these reasons and others listed below that 18-wheeler truck accidents are different from car accidents, in both the legal consequences and in the physical injuries that a victim may sustain.

There are many federal regulations associated with tractor trailers. For instance, a truck driver has very specific regulations as to how long they can drive. The total number of hours they can drive is limited, and after they reach this limit, it becomes illegal for them to continue driving until at least 10 consecutive hours have passed. It also takes about 8 hours to sleep before you can safely go back on the road again, so many truck drivers will stop at truck stops to get their required rest periods in between driving stints.

When an 18-wheeler is in an accident, the driver’s truck can often come to a complete stop, while their trailer continues to travel on its own. In this situation, the trailer will frequently collide with other vehicles or objects in front of it before coming to a halt.