Truck accident becoming more prevalent on our roads

When driving, do you clutch the steering wheel a bit tighter when in proximity to a big rig truck? If so, that likely means you have a justifiable anxiety about having to share the roads with these mammoth vehicles. It takes only a glance to see that a collision with a truck could have devastating consequences.

Moreover, recent statistics more than justify your apprehension. Sadly, the numbers demonstrate that truck accidents have been rising at an alarming rate. Data provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reveals that in 2014 there were 411,000 truck-involved collisions. This number was nearly twofold that of truck-related accidents occurring in 2010. And in 2014, there were 3,903 fatalities, which included pedestrian and cyclist deaths, attributed to truck accidents.

Truck driver fatigue is considered the most common factor leading to truck accidents, which would indicate that drivers could benefit from getting more rest between stretches behind the wheel. Unfortunately, because of the razor-thin profit margins earned by the trucking industry, there is pressure to keep drivers on the road up to and even exceeding the limit of hours of duty as stipulated by federal regulations. So for the foreseeable future, fatigued truck drivers will continue to pose serious problems for all road users.

A truck collision can leave victims with catastrophic injuries, including broken bones, brain injuries and spinal damage severe enough to cause paralysis. Such injuries could require long-term treatment, the cost of which is beyond what most people could ever pay.

With the aid of services provided by an experienced truck accident attorney, an accident victim, and his or her family likely have a much better chance of receiving appropriate compensation. This is because an attorney understands the full scope of the benefits available and can fight for a client’s rights in an effort to obtain money that can cover immediate and future needs.

Source: Car and Driver, “Axles to Grind: Is the Alarm Over Heavy-Truck Crashes Justified?,” Clifford Atiyeh, Nov. 22, 2016

Category:

• Truck Accidents