Trucks are one of those vehicles that are useful and scary at the same time. They’re useful because they help transport goods and raw materials from point A to point B. They’re scary because truck accidents have a high rate of fatalities and catastrophic injuries, especially for the occupants of the vehicles the truck crashes into.
No matter how scary they are, victims should approach a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced lawyer is a reliable aide in determining liability in a truck accident case. Additionally, they will help in estimating fair compensation and keep insurance adjusters at bay.
The services of a lawyer aside, it helps to be aware of some truck accident statistics. Knowledge about these numbers will help create awareness of the causes, safety measures, and everything else related to truck accidents.
5,700 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes in the year 2021
A large truck is simply a truck with a tractor unit and one or more semi trailers behind it. They’re roughly 24 feet long and weigh around 10,000 pounds. These numbers are an indication of how devastating an accident with such a behemoth could be.
The fact that over 5000 trucks were involved in crashes, that too, fatal ones, in a single year is cause for concern. What makes this statistic worse is that this number was a 49% increase in the last 10 years.
Almost 80% of large truck accidents happened in the daytime
A majority of truck accidents happening during the daytime tells us that drivers are not paying attention to their surroundings. When approximately 80% of truck accidents, or 79.6% to be precise, occur when the sun is at its brightest, you know the truck drivers are the problematic ones here.
Intoxicated drivers were responsible for 6.7% of large truck accidents
Driving under the influence of alcohol or any other recreational drug has bad consequences. The same applies for truck drivers as well.
Motorists are expected to maintain a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08%. For commercial truck drivers, however, this number is cut in half. This means that something as light as a beer is sufficient for a DUI charge.
The BAC content aside, it is irresponsible to take the wheel when you’re intoxicated. Alcohol-impaired drivers put everyone on the road at risk, including themselves.
2021 saw a 5% increase in large truck accident injuries
155,000 people suffered some kind of injury due to large truck crashes in 2021. This is a 5% increase when compared to 2020.
Truck accident victims are subjected to a range of injuries. Some of the more common ones include
- Cuts and bruises
- Back and neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Rib and torso injuries
- Fractures
3,217 passenger vehicle occupants lost their lives in large truck crashes in 2021
This statistic talks about the impact of truck accidents on other motorists. As said earlier, the occupants of the vehicles bear the brunt of truck accidents.
Given how large the average truck is, a simple side-swipe accident can be deadly. If the vehicle crashes into a smaller vehicle, like a motorcycle, the chances of the rider losing their life are scarily high.
773 people died in truck head-on collisions in 2021
Head-on collisions are among the worst types of accidents one can ever find themself in. When two drivers moving in opposite directions crash head-first into each other, the results can be catastrophic.
There’s also another factor to consider. You have to be pretty distracted to miss a vehicle that is approaching right in front of you. Then there’s the concept of either driver being too drunk to notice the vehicle in front of them.
Conclusion
These statistics show how common and deadly truck accidents are in the US. Victims need to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer to find out what their options are after a truck accident. With the right legal guidance, victims can acquire a fair settlement that compensates for all their losses.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
