Because tractor trailers are so huge and heavy, the damage in truck crashes is frequently devastating. A “truck accident” occurs when a large trailer – defined as any trailer weighing over 10,000 pounds – collides with a pedestrian or with another vehicle. About 500,000 truck accidents happen annually in the United States, resulting in more than 90,000 injuries. Approximately 5,000 of those crashes end with fatalities each year. Trucks are involved in one out of every eight traffic deaths.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has compiled data from thousands of truck crashes; they’ve concluded that these are the top factors involved in truck mishaps:
1. Braking problems
2. Traffic flow disruptions
3. Prescription and over-the-counter drug use
4. Speeding
5. Unfamiliarity with the highway
6. Roadway construction or obstructions
7. Fatigue
Alcohol is a factor in about two percent of the fatal crashes that involve large trucks. Due to their size and weight, drivers should always take extra safety precautions when sharing the road with big trucks.
If you suffer a personal injury in a truck accident, don’t sign any insurance forms or admit to any fault before talking with an experienced personal injury attorney. Get medical treatment immediately and take pictures of your injuries both before and after treatment, if possible. Keep copies of medical, police, and insurance paperwork. If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision with a truck, or if you are the survivor of a family member who has perished in a truck accident, speak to a good personal injury lawyer as quickly as possible. An experienced personal injury attorney will evaluate your case and give you the legal guidance you need. Compensation for your injury is your legal right. If you’ve been injured, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney right away.