Most people have seen or heard of an accident involving a truck and one or more cars. Sometimes the truck driver walks away with no injuries. That is seldom true for the driver and passengers in the car who can suffer fatal or life-changing injuries. Every Truck Accident Attorney has seen first-hand the devastating effect of truck accidents on the lives of the victims and their families.
Truck Drivers Held Responsible
A government study of 114,000 crashes involving large trucks found that the trucks were to blame for the accidents 55% of the time. Of those crashes, the truck driver was considered responsible 87% of the time.
The most common causes of driver error were:
- Making a poor decision (such as speeding or tailgating)
- Not paying attention to their driving or surroundings
A Few Statistics on Truck Accidents
The injuries suffered in car/truck crashes are normally more severe than the injuries in car/car accidents. It’s a matter of mass and weight. A fully loaded truck weighs 20 times as much as the average car.
- A person in a car is 10 times more likely to die in a crash with a tractor trailer than with a car
- Truck crashes occur on weekdays 83% of the time
- Rural roads are more dangerous than city streets, accounting for 63% of truck accidents
- In multi-vehicle crashes, the first crash was between a truck and another vehicle 74% of the time
Drive Defensively
The average adult drives more than 10,000 miles per year. While driving all of those miles, the driver of the car will share the road with a great many trucks of all sizes. It’s entirely possible that a few of those truck drivers will be speeding, talking on their phone, fighting to stay awake, be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or otherwise driving dangerously.
Driving defensively is always recommended, but be especially cautious when a truck is nearby.
- Don’t drive too close to a truck or in the truck’s blind spot
Never cut in front of a truck
Remember that a fully loaded truck takes much longer to come to a stop than a car - If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a truck and need a Truck Accident Attorney, call Danny E. Darnall. He has more than 39 years of legal experience and will aggressively fight for the compensation you are entitled to. Visit website to book a consultation. You can also connect with them on Facebook.
