What Is The Truck Driver Fatality Rate In An Accident - AllCarIndex
What Is The Truck Driver Fatality Rate In An Accident
In today's day and age, the world is more connected than ever. Walking into a store, you will most likely find items from all over the country and world: potatoes from Iowa, oranges from Florida, avocados from Mexico, canola oil from Canada. More often than not, many of the items in our local stores are shipped from different regions. Truck, also commonly referred to as big rigs or 18-wheelers, transport is regarded as one of the most effective means of moving goods across the country; over 70 percent of all products are moved by truck in the United States. With the amount of time that big rigs spend traveling across the nation, it is almost inevitable that a vehicular accident will occur. To learn more about big rig accident statistics, continue below.
Statistics Show a High Fatality Rate in Truck Accidents
Compared to other types of vehicles, trucks have a higher vehicle fatality rate, with approximately 74 percent of all fatal crashes involving 18 wheelers. Broken down, 82 percent of multiple-vehicle crash fatalities involve a big rig, while 62 percent of passenger vehicle fatal accidents include an 18 wheeler, making multiple-vehicle crashes involving bigs notably more perilous than accidents involving one passenger vehicle and a truck. Currently, two-vehicle accidents comprise approximately 63 percent of all truck accidents. Separately, between the years 2016 to 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration witnessed a 9 percent rise in fatal trucking accidents. Further, the number of fatal trucking crashes has increased by 42 percent between 2009 and 2017. The high fatality rates in truck accidents can be harrowing.
When and Where Do Truck Accidents Take Place?
The majority of trucking accidents take place on major roadways. Nearly two-thirds of all 18 wheeler accidents occur on common roads, with an additional 31 percent of all big rig accidents take place on freeways and interstates. Only approximately 6 percent of trucking accidents occur on minor roads, making them the seemingly safest road option. The weekend has the lowest truck accident rate, making it arguably the best time for truck drivers to travel. On Saturday, 10 percent of total trucking accidents happened on a Saturday, and approximately 6 percent of accidents occurring on a Sunday.
What Are the Causes of Large Truck Accidents?
There are countless potential causes of a truck accident. These reasons can be broken into three groups: driver, vehicle, environment. Base on a Large Truck Crash Causation Study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, at 84 percent, the vast majority of truck accidents are caused by the driver. Following, 10 percent of truck accidents are due to the actual vehicle, and 3 percent are the result of the environment. Some reasons why a driver may be at fault in a trucking accident include:
- Non-Performance. Driver non-performance may happen if the truck driver is drowsy and falls asleep, is incapacitated because of a heart attack or seizure, or if the driver is physically impaired for a different reason.
- Recognition. This takes place when the truck driver is distracted by something, whether it be inside or outside the vehicle. Ultimately, the driver is involved in an accident because he or she fails to observe the situation appropriately.
- Decision. Miscalculations that a truck driver makes, such as speeding in poor weather conditions or following vehicles too closely.
If you or a loved one have been catastrophically injured in a truck accident in a trucking accident, reach out to the experienced Florida attorneys in our referral network.