The most serious type of car accident happens to be a pile up, when multiple vehicles weighing 3,000 pounds or more strike each other in a continuous pattern. A crash involving three or more vehicles is called a chain reaction crash or pile up, and usually results in serious injuries or deaths as each vehicle involved is struck numerous times.

Pile up” is a colloquial term for a car collision involving more than two vehicles (also known as a multi-car-collision, chain reaction crash and multiple vehicle accident). Multi-car collisions are a relatively common occurrence in the United States, and they often result in at least one serious injury or wrongful death.

By nature, large-scale pile ups are especially dangerous because it is often difficult for individuals involved to escape from the mass of colliding vehicles. In addition, vehicle occupants can be struck multiple times at a high rate of speed, which increases the risk of injury to passengers who were protected during the initial impact thanks to airbags and safety restraints.

Fires and explosions are also a more common occurrence in multi-car wrecks, and the extent of damage can make it difficult for local rescue services (police, fire, ambulance, etc.) to reach victims in time.

Fog and bad Weather can Cause Accidents and Pile Ups

Alpharetta Experts agree that fog and other adverse weather-related conditions can be attributed to pileup accidents, as well as reduced visibility, distracted drivers, and drowsy, intoxicated, tailgating or speeding drivers. When there is heavy fog, everyone must adjust their driving habits. How motorists operate their vehicles on a sunny day will differ from how they should drive when it’s foggy, raining, snowing or sleeting.

Important reminder to do the follow while driving:

  • Slow down your driving speed.
  • If your car has fog beams, use them, but avoid high beams, which can make visibility worse in foggy conditions.
  • Do not stop on the roadways, as other drivers may not see you. If you must stop, pull your vehicle onto the shoulder of the roadway.
  • You can use four-ways or hazard flashers to increase your visibility.

Trucks, fog, and bad Weather Regulations

Any driver can suffer from reduced visibility in foggy conditions. Failing to use headlights and taillights effectively or any number of combinations can put the driver and others sharing the roadway in imminent danger.

Truckers’ work schedule and deadlines can cause them to forget the rules and drive erratically in poor weather conditions. Truck drivers are obligated to be mindful of public safety, but they may not always react accordingly and reduce their speeds or pull over when hazardous conditions are present.

Semi-trucks operating in fog and other bad weather are especially susceptible to causing crashes. Why? These big rigs possess a high center of gravity and have a narrow distance between their left and right wheels, which combined with an unstable load makes it quite sensitive to even the slightest changes. So, any sudden shift in direction can cause the vehicle to pull towards the ground, resulting in a crash.