Summertime is a season of increased travel across the country. With so many more vehicles on the road, accidents are bound to happen. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), July and August have the highest amount of deadly traffic accidents. In particular, accidents involving trucks can be extremely dangerous. Get the facts on trucking accidents to stay safe on the road this summer.
Truck Accident Statistics
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were approximately 450,000 crashes involving trucks in 2017. The number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes increased 10% from 2016-2017, and fatal crashes involving trucks typically occur on Interstate highways and in rural areas. The overwhelming majority of truck crashes happen on weekdays.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
Truck drivers are commercial drivers, and operate vehicles that are many times heavier than traditional passenger vehicles. As such, they carry a higher level of responsibility than other drivers on the road. An accident with a truck can be particularly dangerous, as they can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and need additional distance to come to a complete stop.
Common causes of truck accidents include, but are not limited to:
Tire blowouts
Driving under the influence
Driving while distracted
Unsafe lane changes
Fatigue
Ignoring the rules of the road
Improperly secured cargo
FMCSA attempts to regulate truck drivers to protect others on the road by mandating that truck drivers not exceed 11-hour driving shifts. Unfortunately, many truck drivers ignore hours-of-service regulations and as such, put other drivers in serious jeopardy of accidents caused by fatigue.
Injured in a Truck Accident? Contact Us Today
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a negligent truck driver, you don’t have to suffer alone. Our Fresno personal injury attorneys have over 40 years of combined experience ready to work for you. We consult forensic experts with knowledge in the field in order to recreate the collision and help prove the other driver’s negligence.
Contact Fowler | Helsel | Vogt at (559) 900-1280 for a consultation with our team today!