Semis May Not Stop After Sideswiping Smaller Cars on I-635

By James Roswold | October 22, 2021

You can’t count the number of times you swerved out of the way of a semi merging onto I-635 from the Kansas Turnpike. It’s as if the truck drivers don’t even look into the next lane before barreling over, forcing their two-ton trucks into the lane of already-moving traffic.

While it may not surprise you to know just how many of these truck drivers cause sideswipe crashes merging from highway to highway, it might shock you to discover that some have left the scene after causing a truck accident, completely unaware that a crash has occurred.

Why Do Truckers Cause Sideswipe Crashes?

There are many different reasons sideswipe crashes are likely to occur on Missouri highways, including:

  • Improper merging. Sideswipe accidents occur when two vehicles that are traveling side-by-side collide, such as when lanes narrow or merge. Truckers attempting to get on or off the freeway without checking their mirrors will often strike smaller vehicles on the semi’s sides.
  • Close cornering. Trucks need a much larger turning radius to exit and enter a highway than smaller vehicles. Truckers who do not leave enough room may scrape the side of their trucks along the front corner of the vehicle alongside them.
  • Blind spots. While cars are getting smaller and smaller, semis are getting longer—making it more likely that a car will become “lost” in the space where a truck’s mirrors cannot see it. In one case, a Chevy Aveo was sideswiped by a tractor-trailer, causing the vehicle to spin and overturn in the median. The heavy semi continued without stopping—seemingly unaware of the accident.

How Do Trucking Companies Respond to Sideswipe Crash Victims?

It is common for trucking companies to blame the driver in the smaller car. This is a first line of defense for the company: if they can prove you were somehow at fault, they can avoid liability for the accident. This is why it is important to gather evidence in your case as soon as possible after the accident occurs, including having the scene investigated and photographed and getting the truck driver’s logs to establish how long he had been driving before the crash took place.

Have You Been Injured In A Truck Accident?

From our headquarters in Kansas City, we serve all of Kansas and Missouri. We also have offices in Lee’s Summit, St. Joseph and Parkville, MO as well as Overland Park and Olathe, KS available by appointment. Call our office at 816-471-5111, start a live chat today, or use our contact form to schedule your free consultation.

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