Common Types of Truck Accidents on Kentucky Roads
Jackknife, rollover, blind-spot, wide-turn — each crash type has a different cause and different injuries. Knowing which one you were in matters for your claim.
Truck Crashes in Numbers
Large trucks don’t crash often — but when they do, the consequences are severe. According to FMCSA’s Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2022, there were approximately 503,000 police-reported crashes involving large trucks that year, resulting in 5,279 fatal crashes and 114,000 injury crashes. Critically, NHTSA’s 2023 data shows that 70 percent of truck crash fatalities were occupants of other vehicles — not the truck itself. That imbalance in size and weight defines every crash type below.
The Seven Most Dangerous Truck Crash Types
1. Jackknife Crashes
A jackknife happens when a tractor-trailer’s cab and trailer fold toward each other, forming an acute angle resembling a pocketknife. It almost always starts with the trailer skidding — the brakes lock up or the driver brakes too aggressively, the trailer pushes around the cab, and the driver loses control of the entire rig.
Common causes: Sudden braking on wet or icy pavement, brake imbalance between tractor and trailer, excessive speed on curves, and overloaded trailers. The FMCSA’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) found that “vehicle loss of control” — the category that captures jackknife events — accounted for 29 percent of critical events in large truck crashes.
Common injuries: Severe head and spinal cord trauma, crush injuries from the sweeping trailer, internal organ damage.
High fatality risk — sweeping trailer can strike multiple vehicles2. Rollover Crashes
Rollovers occur when a truck tips onto its side or roof. They are among the most deadly single-vehicle events involving large trucks. FMCSA crash data shows that rollover was the first harmful event in 4 percent of all fatal large truck crashes — and it accounted for nearly 5,000 injury crashes in 2020 alone.
Common causes: Excessive speed on exit ramps or curves, improperly loaded or shifting cargo, high winds striking a high-sided trailer, and driver overcorrection. Tanker trucks and flatbeds with shifting loads are especially prone to rollover because their center of gravity shifts with the cargo.
Common injuries: Catastrophic injuries to other motorists who are crushed underneath the rolling truck, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and fatal crush injuries.
Leading cause of large truck fatalities in single-vehicle events3. Rear-End Collisions
An 80,000-pound semi traveling at highway speed cannot stop in the same distance as a passenger car. When a truck rear-ends a smaller vehicle, the smaller vehicle’s occupants bear the devastating energy transfer. The LTCCS found that “colliding with the rear end of another vehicle in the truck’s travel lane” was the critical event in 22 percent of large truck fatal crashes — making it the third most common crash type overall.
Common causes: Driver fatigue or inattention, following too closely, brake maintenance failures (brake problems were the #1 associated factor in the LTCCS), and distracted driving.
Common injuries: Severe whiplash, spinal fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and in severe cases, crush and underride fatalities when the smaller vehicle slides beneath the truck.
22% of critical events in FMCSA fatal crash study4. Wide-Turn (Squeeze Play) Crashes
Large trucks must swing wide to the left before completing a right turn — a maneuver that traps motorcyclists, cyclists, and passenger vehicles in a shrinking space between the truck and the curb. This “squeeze play” happens in seconds and leaves victims no escape route.
Common causes: Failure to check mirrors, no right-turn signal, misjudging the gap needed, and speed through the turn. FMCSA research identifies “inadequate surveillance” as one of the top ten associated factors in large truck crashes.
Common injuries: Crushing injuries to lower extremities, pelvic fractures, fatal crush when a vehicle is pinned between the truck and a curb or barrier.
Especially dangerous for cyclists and motorcyclists5. Blind-Spot Side-Impact Crashes
A standard 18-wheeler has four major blind spots: directly in front of the cab, directly behind the trailer, and along both sides extending approximately 20 feet. When a motorist lingers in those zones or a truck driver changes lanes without checking, side-impact crashes occur at highway speeds.
Common causes: Lane changes without signal or mirror check, failure to use spotting equipment, and driver fatigue that reduces mirror-checking discipline.
Common injuries: Severe lateral impacts to passenger vehicles — the truck’s underride guard height means the trailer can shear off the roof of a smaller car. Side-impact head and chest trauma are common.
Trucks have four large blind zones — two on each side extend 20 feet6. Tire Blowout Crashes
A truck tire blowout at highway speed can cause the driver to lose control suddenly or send large chunks of rubber (“road gators”) onto the roadway, striking other vehicles. A commercial truck tire weighs between 100 and 120 pounds — when it separates at 65 mph, it becomes a projectile.
Common causes: Under-inflation, overloading beyond tire ratings, heat buildup from extended operation, worn tread, and deferred maintenance. FMCSA data shows that “tires” were among the most common vehicle-related factors coded for large trucks in fatal crashes.
Common injuries: Loss-of-control injuries when the driver swerves, secondary impacts from debris strikes, and rollover injuries if the truck veers off the roadway.
Tires ranked among top vehicle defects in FMCSA fatal crash data7. Cargo Spill Crashes
When cargo shifts, comes loose, or spills onto the roadway, it creates hazards for every vehicle behind the truck. Unsecured loads — whether logs, steel coils, or liquid tanker cargo — can cause multiple-car pileups. Liquid tankers that rupture may also release hazardous materials.
Common causes: Improper load securement in violation of FMCSA cargo securement rules (49 CFR Part 393), overloading, failure to inspect load during stops, and sudden maneuvers that shift the load.
Common injuries: Struck-by injuries from falling debris, secondary crash injuries from sudden swerving or braking by other motorists, and burns or chemical exposure from hazardous cargo releases.
Hazardous materials present in ~3% of large trucks in fatal crashesWhy Crash Type Changes Your Case
Each crash type points to different liable parties. A jackknife may involve brake maintenance records. A cargo spill may implicate the shipper. A blowout may reveal deferred tire maintenance in violation of 49 CFR Part 396. A wide-turn crash may involve dash-cam footage. Identifying the crash type is step one — building the full evidence picture is what gets you the compensation you deserve.
What to Do After Any Type of Truck Crash in Kentucky
Regardless of the crash type, the steps you take in the first 48 to 72 hours are critical. Trucking companies send rapid response teams to the scene within hours. Their goal is to document the scene in their favor and preserve only the evidence that helps them.
- Call 911 and request a police report documenting the crash
- Photograph everything at the scene — the truck, your vehicle, the roadway, skid marks, cargo debris
- Get the truck’s DOT number, company name, and driver information
- Get contact information from all witnesses
- Seek medical care immediately, even if you feel okay — symptoms can be delayed
- Contact an attorney before giving any recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer
Kentucky’s statute of limitations under KRS 413.140 gives you one year from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. That clock starts immediately, and critical evidence — ELD logs, black box data, dash-cam footage — can be overwritten or destroyed long before then.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most dangerous type of truck accident?
What causes most jackknife truck accidents?
Who is liable when a truck’s cargo spills and causes a crash?
How do I know which type of truck accident I was in?
Does Kentucky have a time limit to sue a trucking company?
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