TRUCK ACCIDENT STATISTICS

THE DATA BEHIND TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Vehicle accidents always lead to distressing consequences for everyone involved. Each day, Trucks are responsible for more than 63 percent of the goods transported across the United States and Mexico. What this means is thousands of hours of driving time for truckers across the nation; which results in more than eleven people dying because of truck accidents each day.

Truck Accident Statistics

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration releases a report every year concerning motor vehicle accidents which includes truck accidents. The 2017 reports tell us that..

• Over 5,000 people have died in accidents involving trucks that year.
• In that year too, 372 pedestrians and 76 cyclists have died in accidents with big trucks and buses.
• In 2016, 125,000 large trucks and buses were involved in crashes that resulted in injuries.
• In that year too, over 418,000 accidents that resulted in property damage involved large trucks and buses.
• 2.5 percent of drivers in fatal crashes with trucks had a BAC of over .08 percent while 3.6 percent of drivers in those fatal crashes had a BAC of over .01 percent.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association, there are numerous causes as to how accidents in trucks take place. They typically fall into one of three categories:

• 32 percent of drivers run out of the lane that the vehicle should travel in 
• 29 percent of drivers lose control of the vehicle due to speeding and vehicle systems failure 
• 22 percent are because of rear-end collisions 

Trends of the Statistics in Accidents Involving Trucks

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s data report shows that truck accidents increased through 2016 and 2017. 

• In 2017, the number of large trucks involved in fatal accidents increased to 4,657, while in 2016, that number was only 4,251. 
• The percentage of trucks involved in fatal accidents based on miles traveled also increased by 6 percent that year.
• 2016 reported over 145,000 people who suffered serious injuries in trucks—a figure higher than 2015’s.

Truck Accident Cause Statistics

Other factors may also contribute to any of these accident types. Drivers occasionally find themselves distracted to pay proper attention while driving. Truck drivers and other drivers may be driving fatigued, under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, or fail to follow the rules of the road. Any of these causes can have an impact on the statistics of accidents with trucks. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association notes that of its sample:

• 29 percent of accidents involved problems with the truck’s brakes system.
• 22 percent of accidents involved drivers traveling unfamiliar roads.
• 20 percent of accidents involved problems with roadways.
• 17 percent of accidents included prescription drug use by the driver.
• 14 percent of accidents included inadequate surveillance by the driver.
• 13 percent of accidents included driver fatigue.
• 10 percent of accidents involved a truck driver who felt work pressure from their carrier, pressure to drive despite fatigue, or pressure to meet deadlines.
• 23 percent of accidents had speeding involved.
• 9 percent of drivers involved in accidents made an illegal maneuver.
• 8 percent of drivers suffered from external distractions before an accident.
• 6 percent of vehicles had tire problems that contributed to the accident.
• 5 percent of drivers followed too closely.
• 4 percent of vehicles involved in accidents had a cargo shift that unsafely shifted the balance of the truck.
• 3 percent of drivers suffered some type of illness at the time of the accident.
• 2 percent of drivers used illegal drugs at the time of the accident.
• 1 percent of drivers used alcohol at the time of the accident.

Do note that this is a relatively small sample, which included approximately 963 crashes involving 1,123 large trucks and 959 motor vehicles that were not large trucks. In other cases, drivers on the road can help prevent or reduce the odds of truck accidents. In other cases, truck drivers themselves may reduce their odds of accidents. In many cases, however, drivers cannot avoid an accident in a truck entirely because of unforeseeable problems such as tire failures, brake problems, road issues, and cargo shifts that may occur without warning, leaving drivers struggling to respond appropriately.

TACOMA AREA TRUCK ACCIDENTS ATTORNEYS

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael Clark, WA, specialize in personal injury cases and have 26 years of experience with all types of automobile and truck accident claims. Our reputation for zealously representing our clients to the insurance carriers is evident in our everyday diligent work toward maximizing our clients’ settlement offers. With the lawyers of the Law Offices of Michael Clark, WA, your case will be handled with the utmost importance. You will never be pressured to take an unreasonable settlement offer as our attorneys are ready and willing to take the case as far as necessary when the insurance carrier fails to take the proper course of action and make a fair offer. We also cover a wide variety of Personal Injury cases such as motorcycle accidents, wrongful death claims, and dog bites.

We proudly serve the areas of Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia, and all of Western Washington. Our team of attorneys is also working hard to attend to the needs of clients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Do not hesitate to give the Law Offices of Michael Clark a call at 253-573-1000 or a request for a free consultation online for your legal needs.