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The Hidden Dangers of Truck Accidents on Orange County Freeways Every day, thousands of commercial trucks barrel through Orange County on the I-5, I-405, SR-91, and SR-57. These 80,000-pound vehicles share the road with commuters, families, and motorcyclists — and when something goes wrong, the results are catastrophic. Truck accident claims are fundamentally different from car accident cases. Multiple parties may be liable, federal regulations come into play, and the trucking company’s insurance team starts building their defense within hours of the crash. Here’s what Orange County residents need to know. Why Truck Accidents Are So Devastating A fully loaded commercial truck weighs up to 80,000 pounds — roughly 20 times the weight of an average car. At freeway speeds, the physics are brutal: Stopping distance — A loaded truck needs 525 feet to stop at 65 mph, compared to 316 feet for a car. That extra 200 feet is where crashes happen. Force of impact — The kinetic energy in a truck collision can be 20-30 times greater than a car-to-car crash. Override and underride — Smaller vehicles can be crushed underneath the truck’s trailer, often resulting in fatal or catastrophic injuries. Cargo hazards — Improperly secured loads can spill onto the freeway, and hazmat trucks create chemical exposure risks. Orange County’s Most Dangerous Corridors for Truck Accidents Certain stretches of Orange County freeways see a disproportionate number of truck crashes: I-5 through Tustin and Irvine — Heavy truck traffic from the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles […]