The commercial trucking industry has an important role in our country’s economy. Revenues are reported to be in the range of $610 billion last year, with the number expected to increase by the end of 2016. With the trucking industry constantly growing, those sharing the road must pay more attention to commercial vehicles.
An estimated 15.5 million 18-wheelers are traveling at all hours of the day and night on our highways. Due to their extensive time on the road, commercial trucks are involved in more wrecks each year than any other type of vehicle. Often, the results of these accidents end in injury or death. The following are four important facts you should know about commercial truck accidents.
General statistics about commercial truck accidents
According to the United States Department of Transportation, about 500,000 truck wrecks occur each year and close to 4,000 of them are fatal. These numbers indicate that one out of every eight traffic accidents involve a commercial truck. Digging deeper into the numbers reveals that close to 4,000 individuals have died and another 111,000 victims have been severely injured from truck accidents. Statistics show that 81 percent of all fatal commercial truck wrecks were ruled multi-vehicle crashes, while 59 percent of fatal crashes involved multiple passenger vehicles.
Texas is the leader in commercial truck accidents
Unfortunately, fatal truck wrecks occur quite often in Texas. The State Department of Transportation reported that close to 16,000 commercial truck accidents occur on their roads each year. This number comes to double the national average. Texas has the highest number of fatal 18-wheeler wrecks each year in the United States. Sadly, the state also leads the nation in passenger and trucker deaths in fatal multi-vehicle accidents each year.
Federal and state government officials have begun promoting tougher truck safety regulations. However, all drivers must become more considerate to one another and follow the rules of the road more closely. Commercial trucking companies must hold their drivers to strict driving standards and offer them a platform to learn acceptable defensive driving techniques. Passenger vehicles need to avoid traveling along a truck’s blind spots on the busy interstate roads in order to help prevent accidents.
Causes of commercial truck accidents
The prevention of fatal truck wrecks is a serious issue, as countless lives are threatened each day. The leading cause of commercial truck accidents is the truck driver being intoxicated. This horrible epidemic has overtaken the United States, and the trucking industry is not exempt from the problem. The entire trucking community is concerned that road safety is also at stake due to the high number of unsafe, unfit commercial vehicles on the road today. However, most truck drivers strive to abide by the standards and regulations provided, so fatal truck accidents have declined by five percent in recent years.
Compensation following a commercial truck accident
All trucking companies pledge to complete their assignments in a safe and timely fashion. The majority of the traffic accidents involving trucks also include passenger vehicles. Some of these truck wrecks are fatal and leave many injured who are left to deal with expensive medical bills, significant property damage, and emotional trauma. The injured parties can expect a lengthy battle over an expensive insurance claim. A large amount of money is at stake, because the average payout is close to $3 million, with each survivor receiving an average of $62,000. Until we solve this expensive and devastating problem, all drivers must learn to better share the roads together.
If you have been in a commercial truck accident, it is important to understand your rights. Contact Attorney Dean Boyd for more information on how we can help you with your claim. Call us today at (806) 242-3333 or Contact Us by email to further discuss the services we provide. You can also visit our offices at 4423 SW 45th Ave in Amarillo, Texas or 10623 Quaker Ave #102 in Lubbock, Texas for more information.
