The Dangers of Parked Semi-Trucks

Many people who frequently drive on highways, interstates, or local roads tend to notice large semi-trucks parked on the shoulder or sides of the roads. While you may think that this is normal, it is considered illegal parking that typically happens because the trucker could not find parking anywhere else.

This can lead to traumatic and devastating truck accidents, especially when it is dark outside and other drivers are unable to see the parked trucks. In addition, if part of the truck is even slightly in the roadway, a smaller automobile could easily collide with it, causing severe and catastrophic injuries that could have been prevented.

A recent deadly accident involving a parked truck near Nashville, TN

According to a recent news article published by WKRN, a person died after colliding with a parked 18-wheeler on November 19, 2023. The accident occurred on Interstate 40 in Wilson County, Tennessee, which is less than 30 miles from Nashville. It happened when it was dark outside, which was around 11:00 p.m.

The report taken by the Tennessee Highway Patrol states that the big rig was in the far-right lane because it had been involved in a motor vehicle accident. Therefore, the driver was waiting for officers to arrive. However, during this timeframe, a 29-year-old woman who was driving a Hyundai Elantra slammed into the rear-end portion of the semi-truck. The truck driver reported no injuries, but the automobile driver immediately died at the scene of the crash.

The Nashville area and surrounding communities were alarmed by this death, which has brought new and increasing awareness to our area regarding the dangers of parked trucks on the interstates and roadways. Parked trucks pose a real threat to automobile drivers and passengers that are passing by.

Underride truck accidents are a common result of parked trucks

One of the most common types of accidents that occur from dangerously parked trucks is an underride truck accident. An underride truck accident happens when a smaller automobile goes under the trailer of a semi-truck. This often happens due to semi-trucks being elevated and having higher clearance from the ground, allowing smaller vehicles to crash into the back or side of them and go underneath the trailer of the truck. When an underride truck accident occurs, the results are almost always horrific. For example, an automobile’s roof may become completely torn off, leading to decapitation of the driver and passengers inside the vehicle. Unfortunately, more than 400 people passed away due to underride truck accidents in the United States in 2021.

Why would a truck driver be parked on the side of a local road or highway?

There are many different reasons why a truck driver might park on the side of a local road or highway, including:

• They cannot find parking at a rest stop, business, or gas station.
• They are too tired to keep driving.
• They are experiencing truck issues, such as tire problems, engine problems, cargo problems, or brake problems.
• They have gone over their hours of service and need to stop and rest.
• They have been involved in a collision and are waiting for law enforcement and emergency medical technicians to arrive.

Are there specific rules in place regarding 18-wheelers being parked on the side of the road?

When truck drivers cannot find parking or make the decision to park on the side of the highway or a local roadway, they are putting other drivers in serious danger. The federal government is aware of this issue and, as a result, has implemented specific rules and regulations to help increase safety if a trucker must stop or park on the side of a roadway. Here are a few of the rules and regulations put in place:

• The truck driver must use hazard warning signal flashers.
• The truck driver must use warning devices to let oncoming traffic know that a truck is stopped. These warning devices may be triangles or flares and must be placed within 10 feet of the truck near oncoming traffic and within 100 feet of the truck near the shoulder.
• The truck driver cannot turn off their warning signal flashers until the warning devices are in their correct spaces.
• If the truck is on the side of the road near a business or residential district, the truck driver must place the warning devices within 500 feet of any persons near the roadway.
• If there are hills, curves, or any obstructions, the trucker must place a warning device within 100 to 500 feet from the truck to ensure that other drivers have enough warning about the parked truck.

Four dangers of parked semi-trucks

Even though truck drivers may have good reasons to stop or park on the side of the road, this still can put other drivers in harm’s way. The following are four dangers of parked semi-trucks that you should know about:

1. Semi-trucks are very large, taking up a lot of space on the side of the roads and shoulders. This causes other vehicles to have less room to get by or access the shoulder if needed.
2. Many roadways are not designed or created with large trucks in mind. This means if a trucker stops or parks in one of these areas, they will likely not fit, putting other drivers at serious risk.
3. Truck drivers may have nowhere to go if there is an emergency. As a result, they may not have any other choice besides pulling over onto the side of the road or highway. However, this can quickly lead to a dangerous or deadly crash.
4. Semi-trucks parked on the side of the road have a strong ability to cause catastrophic injuries or death. In fact, it is not uncommon for individuals who crash into parked 18-wheelers to pass away at the scene. If an automobile driver or passenger is able to miraculously survive after crashing into a parked truck, they may suffer broken ribs, whiplash, organ damage, internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and more.

At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, we have the knowledge, skills, and experience to successfully represent you and obtain justice for your injuries and other losses. Our truck accident attorneys have built a solid reputation in Nashville and surrounding areas. Therefore, we strive every day to show our clients we are committed to standing up and fighting for their rights when it comes to even the most challenging cases. If you were recently involved in a truck accident because a trucker was parked on the side of the road or highway, please call our office or submit our contact form to start discussing today. We are located in Nashville, Hendersonville, and Clarksville for your convenience.