Trucks are a very necessary part of life in the United States. As a nation of consumers, we rely heavily on truck drivers to deliver the goods and materials we enjoy every day.
Have you ever thought about the vast journey your products go through before they reach your home? Pretty much all of the products we enjoy each day are delivered on a commercial truck at some point in their lifetimes.
As you can imagine, with so many products to be moved at all times come many trucks that must deliver them to their respective destinations.
Unfortunately, sometimes mistakes are made which can lead to truck accidents. Read on to learn six facts about truck accidents you should be aware of.
#1 – Passenger car drivers cause 70% of the accidents they’re involved in with commercial trucks.
By contrast, commercial truck drivers only contribute to 16% of the accidents they are involved in with other vehicles. After all, it’s important to keep in mind that truckers drive for a living and know how significant the risks are in a crash.
#2 – Passenger vehicle occupants are 40 times more likely to experience fatal injuries in a crash than truck drivers.
Commercial trucks are enormous machines that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds (lbs). Passenger vehicles, such as cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks, typically only weigh about 3,000-4,000 lbs. As you can see, when a crash occurs, there’s no competition between a fully loaded commercial truck and a passenger car of any size.
#3 – Passenger car drivers are four times more likely than big rig drivers to run into a truck from behind.
If a passenger car hits a truck from behind, a fatality is more likely to occur than if a truck hits the rear-end of a passenger car.
#4 – The most common fatal truck accident occurs as a result of a passenger car crossing over the center line into the truck’s lane.
Passenger car drivers cross over the center line into the opposite lane of traffic where a truck is driving eight times more often than the reverse occurs.
#5 – Passenger vehicles are much more likely to sideswipe commercial trucks than the other way around.
Passenger vehicle drivers are six times more likely than truck drivers to sideswipe a semi going the opposite direction.
Similarly, passenger vehicle drivers are two times as likely to make a turn that impedes a truck driver’s path or sideswipe a semi traveling in the same direction.
#6 – When truck drivers are to blame for accidents, the primary causes are the result of mechanical issues, but there are other reasons as well.
The top 10 reasons why truckers are involved in crashes include:
- Brake problems
- Traffic flow disruptions (like traffic congestion or a former collision)
- Prescription drug use
- Driving too fast for the road or weather conditions
- Unfamiliarity with the particular road
- Roadway issues
- The driver had to stop before the crash occurred (such as for a traffic control device or a crosswalk)
- Over-the-counter drug use
- Insufficient surveillance
- Drowsiness
We’re Here to Help Injured Crash Victims
Sustaining injuries in a crash as a result of another’s negligence is often a painful and unfair situation experience. If this has happened to you and you’ve been hurt in a truck accident through no fault of your own, you may be owed compensation for your losses. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our office right away to learn more about what we can do to help with your case.
Call the Ozone Park lawyers at The Cassisi Law Firm today at 718-441-5050 to speak with an experienced attorney about your case.
