New Jersey Pickup Truck Accident Attorneys
Small Trucks and Pickup Truck Accidents
Smaller trucks like pickups, minitrucks and some work vehicles and SUVs are considered passenger vehicles in New Jersey. Drivers need only a normal noncommercial driver's license to drive them, and they're subject to all of the same requirements as drivers of smaller passenger cars. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that small trucks are just as safe as cars. While they're not capable of causing the major damage that semis and tractor-trailers can cause, small trucks are still the bigger, heavier vehicles in most accidents with a passenger car. That means that they can cause serious damage to the occupants of the other car -- regardless of who caused the accident.
The trouble is "vehicle mismatch," safety experts' name for the difference in heights and weights between a small truck and an ordinary car. Depending on the year and the options, a late-model Honda Civic weighs somewhere between 2,200 and 2,700 pounds. By contrast, a late-model Ford F-150, Chevy Suburban or Dodge Ram weighs somewhere between 4,500 and 5,500 pounds. That's about twice as heavy as smaller sedans -- which means the truck will bring twice as much force into a crash as the car. Just as with large trucks, this makes the accident much worse for the occupants of the smaller car than a crash between similarly-sized vehicles. Statistics from the federal Department of Transportation show that crashes between passenger cars and light trucks caused more than twice as many fatalities as crashes between passenger cars in 2006. That's true even though passenger cars were involved in slightly more fatal accidents than light trucks that year.
A mismatch between vehicle heights can also make an accident much worse. Just a glance around a full parking lot will show you that small trucks usually have significantly higher bumpers than cars and minivans do. That means the bumpers won't meet in a crash between a pickup and a car, which in turn means the car's bumper can't do its job -- absorbing the force of the accident. Instead, the truck's bumper crashes into the hood, side panels or trunk of the car, crushing metal and glass into the passenger space. The result for the car's occupants is sometimes death or very serious injuries like brain and spinal damage, organ and soft-tissue injuries, amputations, multiple fractures, and, in cases where a gas tank ruptures, serious burns.
Of course, drivers have the right to drive whichever vehicles they prefer. In fact, some jobs require the use of a small truck or a pickup. But just like everyone else on the road, drivers of small trucks have a legal duty to be careful on the road. Careless or irresponsible driving of these small trucks can be a death sentence to the occupants of the smaller vehicles around them. Furthermore, despite having been aware of these issues for decades, the auto industry has not made reinforced side panels or side airbags standard in most of the small vehicles that could be crushed in an accident with a pickup truck. Victims of small-truck accidents caused by negligent driving or automotive product defects have the right to sue to cover the devastating injuries and other costs the accidents caused.
If you're considering a New Jersey small truck accident claim, you should call Lependorf & Silverstein as soon as possible. We are an experienced New Jersey truck accident law firm that specializes in representing victims of accidents caused by someone else's carelessness. After more than 15 years of practicing law in New Jersey, we understand the full impact of a truck accident on victims and their families. We are prepared to represent you aggressively, seeking out the best possible financial recovery for your injuries. And because we know seriously injured people often have financial trouble, we always offer free consultations to potential clients. But you should move quickly -- under some circumstances, you may have just 90 days to declare your intention to sue. Please contact us to learn more about your rights, your case and how we can help you.
If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt in a New Jersey small truck or pickup truck accident, contact Lependorf & Silverstein today for a free consultation.
