Chopin Law Firm warns drivers about rear-end risks with 18-wheelers

After a fatal Pontchartrain Expressway crash in New Orleans, The Chopin Law Firm is urging drivers to leave more space behind tractor-trailers and watch for sudden slowdowns on elevated highways. The firm says simple steps like keeping a four-second gap and recognizing truck reflectors can reduce the chance of deadly underride crashes.

Why it matters: - Rear-end crashes with 18-wheelers can turn deadly fast because smaller cars can slide under trailer frames in an underride crash. - Elevated highways in New Orleans, including the Pontchartrain Expressway and I-10, create added risk because traffic can slow suddenly and shoulders can be limited. - The Chopin Law Firm says a few extra seconds of space can be the difference between a close call and a fatal impact.

What happened: - The Chopin Law Firm issued a safety reminder after a fatal crash on the Pontchartrain Expressway early on Oct. 31. - Local reports say a passenger car struck the back of an 18-wheeler around 2 a.m. near the Tchoupitoulas Street exit. - Traffic had slowed because of an earlier crash. - The driver of the passenger car died. - The New Orleans Police Department is investigating.

The details: - Justin Chopin, owner and managing partner of The Chopin Law Firm, said police are still investigating and the firm will let that process determine what happened. - A tractor-trailer sits much higher off the ground than a passenger car, which can let a car slide under the trailer in a rear-end crash. - Safety advocates call that type of collision an underride crash. - In an underride crash, the trailer can bypass the car’s bumper, crumple zones, and airbags and strike the windshield and passenger area instead. - Rear impact guards hang below the back of most trailers and help reduce that danger. - Federal rules finalized in 2022 require rear guards on new trailers to protect occupants of a car striking the rear at 35 mph, up from 30 mph. - Federal regulators also added rear impact guards to the annual inspection that trucks must pass. - The Chopin Law Firm advises drivers to look past taillights and watch for the red and white reflective tape on a trailer’s sides and rear. - The firm says drivers should expect sudden slowdowns near bridge approaches, exits, and earlier crashes. - The firm recommends keeping at least four seconds of following distance behind an 18-wheeler, and more in rain. - The firm says if a driver cannot see a truck’s side mirrors, the truck driver cannot see that car. - The firm advises drivers to turn on hazard lights in a backup, especially on elevated roadways with little or no shoulder. - The firm also warns that fatigue slows reaction time during the early morning hours.

Between the lines: - The message is broader than one crash: truck collisions often involve multiple potentially responsible parties, including a trucking company, a maintenance contractor, or a trailer manufacturer. - The firm is using the crash to push a preventive message aimed at New Orleans drivers who regularly share narrow elevated roadways with heavy trucks. - Chopin framed the issue as one of reaction time and spacing, not just speed.

What's next: - The New Orleans Police Department investigation into the Pontchartrain Expressway crash will determine the facts of the fatal collision. - The Chopin Law Firm says injured people in truck accidents in New Orleans or elsewhere in Louisiana can request a free case evaluation. - The firm says its attorneys handle car and truck accidents, maritime and offshore injuries, premises liability, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death claims. - More information is available at chopinlawfirm.com.