Truck Accidents in Indiana
Accidents involving semi trucks can involve legal issues which are quite different from traffic accidents which involve small vehicles and private individuals.
Indianapolis in particular, nicknamed the "Crossroads of America", is a major hub for cross-country freeway traffic, with trucks heading north, south, east, west and all points of the compass on Interstates 65, 69, 70 and 74. In 2006 there were well over 1,600 injuries caused by truck crashes in Indiana, including 140 fatalities.
Injuries and the subsequent recovery periods from truck accidents involving small vehicles can also be far more serious than small vehicle accidents for a number of reasons, primarily from the fact that a loaded semi can weigh up to 40 tons. Also, such accidents often occur at a high rate of speed, trucks and semi tractor-trailers are harder to control in bad weather and they have large blind spots. Any and all of these factors can lead to serious accidents.
An accident between a large truck and a passenger car is more likely to inflict serious damage such as brain and spinal cord injuries. Such injuries can be extremely costly to the victim and involve extensive recovery and rehabilitation. Currently federal insurance regulations require a far higher level of coverage for an interstate commercial vehicle than state regulations require for passenger cars.
