In today’s world, more and more 18-wheelers are taking to the highways picking up goods, foods, and materials from one place to take to another. However, more big rigs on the road means potentially more semi truck accidents. When a big truck strikes a passenger vehicle on the road, the force can drive the car into another automobile or off the road claiming lives or causing severe injuries.
According to NHTSA’s CRSS data, Semi-truck and bus accident injuries have increased 4% from 112,000 in 2016 to 116,000 in 2017.
In 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recorded 286,000 collisions involving 18-wheelers. These accidents claimed the lives of 86 percent occupants of passenger cars and left 75 percent injured. According to Jennifer Tierney, head of the Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) and an article posted in the New York Times, in 2015, written by Howard Abramson, from 2009 to 2013 the death toll for crashes that involved trucks rose immensely. In fact, from 2009 fatal accidents rose 28 percent. Moreover, recent reports show that truck-involved accidents that caused fatalities rose for four straight years, reaching 3,946 in 2013.
Recent Statistics of Semi-Truck Accidents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had released statistics of commercial truck accidents in the year 2018. The reports and statistics had stated that in 2018 alone, there were over 164,660 vehicle accidents that involved semi truck, with 79,950 reported injuries and 4,720 fatalities. In comparison to 2017, there were 154,673 vehicle accidents, 76,015 reported injuries, but an increase of fatalities to 4,865.Not included in those statistics above are the number of accidents and fatalities involving a bus. In 2018, there were over 18,350 injuries related to a bus accident, 310 of those resulting in a fatality.
Since there are an estimated 2.7 million tractor-trailer / semi trucks on the road, the odds of an accident involving a semi truck greatly increase. But what are some reasons why these accidents even occur? Continue reading to find out. If you or a family member have been involved in a commercial truck accident, the compensation you deserve is just a phone call away.
0 Comments