The Physical Forces Applied to Body In A Truck Crash
Montlick & Associates Large Truck Crash Lawyers Discuss The Physical Forces Applied to Body In A Truck Crash
The drivers in Georgia are very familiar with the rumble of large, tractor-trailer trucks on the Interstates that crisscross the state. The roar of the wheels is the sound of commerce moving throughout the state and through Georgia to its neighbors. Georgia drivers also understand well the danger sharing the roads with 18-wheelers could present. Those of us who drive smaller cars must be wary of driving near a semi-truck because one wrong move by the truck driver and could suffer catastrophic injuries or death in a large truck crash.
Montlick & Associates’ truck accident attorneys know what utter carnage can result from a collision between a passenger car and an 18-wheeler. They have represented numerous victims of truck crashes and their families and through their extensive experience, have come to understand the physical characteristics at play in a truck crash. Through their success recovering financial damages for truck crash victims, Montlick & Associatess trucking lawyers have accumulated the skill required to recover damages from truck drivers and trucking companies to adequately compensate the victims of a truck crash.
Truck Accident Statistics
The latest figures available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which the agency released in February of 2018, illustrate the vulnerability of passenger car occupants when they collide with a large truck. The NHTSA defines a large truck as having a gross vehicle weight of at least 26,000 pounds. According to the 2016 data compiled by the NHTSA, large truck crashes claimed 4,317 lives nationally. The total number of fatalities rose 5.4% from 2015 to 2016 nationwide. Seventy-two percent of those killed were not riding in the large truck when the crash occurred.
The State of Georgia saw its share of fatal large truck accidents in 2016. According to the NHTSA:
- 179 people died in large truck crashes,
- 128 of the deceased were not riding in the truck when the crash happened,
- 18 people killed were not in any vehicle (pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.),
- 30 people who died were in the large truck, and
- Among the 30 dead who were in the truck, only 10 were killed in multiple-vehicle crashes.
A Look at the Physics Involved in a Car Crash
The physics involved in a collision between a large truck and a passenger car favor the larger mass. A quick review of Newton's Laws of Physics proves why. Newton's First Law of Physics suggests that an object either in motion or at a constant speed will remain in that state until acted on by an external force. That means if you are driving your car at 65 miles per hour, your whole body, including your bones, muscles, and organs are also moving at 65 miles per hour.
Newton's Second Law of Physics defines force. Force may be stated by the equation F=mass times acceleration. To put the concept more concretely, think of how far a golf ball can travel when struck by a golf club compared to a boulder. It takes a lot more acceleration and mass to move the heavier object.
Newton's Third Law of Physics says that forces traveling at the same speed at each other have the same force. However, when you add mass, or size and weight, to the equation, the amount of acceleration produced by the crash changes for each vehicle. The smaller vehicle "loses" in the collision because of the change in momentum.
The laws of physics reap havoc on the human body in a collision. When the momentum of the car changes, the body keeps moving until it something stops it. Similarly, the organs in the body move until restrained by something as well. Of course, the human body, although strong, must yield to the greater physical forces applied against it, which can cause death, dismemberment, or another catastrophic injury.
Our attorneys at Montlick and Associates understand the severe hardship faced by victims of serious trucking accidents, which can involve costly medical care, lost income, Pain and Suffering and more. We fight hard on behalf of each client in order to obtain for them the maximum compensation to which they are entitled under the law.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years Of Legal Experience To Work For Your Case!
If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of accident caused by someone else's negligence, contact Montlick & Associates today for your free consultation with our experienced semi truck accident lawyers in Georgia. Montlick & Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 39 years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Sources:
Cited within and
https://www.wired.com/2011/04/crashing-into-wall/
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/seatb2.html#cc4
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/truckc.html
Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333