Semi-truck and commercial truck accidents are very common and are known for how often they cause fatality in passenger vehicle drivers. It’s important to stay informed and know the facts, even after you’ve been injured in an accident.
For all the truck and bus crash facts, keep reading.
How Many People Work in the Trucking Industry?
Semi-truck drivers make up a huge percentage of the workforce in the United States, with approximately 3.5 million employed truck drivers.
Truck driving is a field that’s dominated by males, with men counting for 90% of the total truck driver population. Most truck drivers are also around the age of 46, and about 10% of drivers are veterans.
Unfortunately, truck drivers make less than most of the population while working longer hours than the average American.
What are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents are, unfortunately, very common. This is often because of the long hours truck drivers have to work and the stress that the job puts on them. Therefore, truck accidents are most commonly cause by the dangerous behaviors truck drivers practice.
Because truck drivers drive, on average, 140 billion miles every year and work much longer hours than regular people, they’re often more stressed and fatigued, leading to accidents.
Did you know that 32% of all commercial truck accidents occur outside of the travel lane. This means that they take place in other lanes (such as the oncoming lane) or off the road.
When it comes to drugs and alcohol, we often hear about truck drivers partaking in these substances to keep themselves away longer. However, only 6% of large truck crashes that result in a fatality are accompanied by a positive drug test.
Meanwhile, 29% of all large truck crashes involve the loss of control. 22% feature the loss of control before rear-ending another vehicle.
Drivers who are hauling loaded tractors require 40% more space than unloaded tractor-trailers. This means that drivers have much less time to come to a complete stop or react to changing conditions.
Distracting driving is another huge problem within the trucking community, as 2,841 people died due to distracted truck drivers.
Commercial Semi-Truck Statistics
Tractor-trailers or semi-trucks are the most dangerous type of commercial truck on the road, causing 46% more fatalities than single-unit trucks in 2018.
Florida is a dangerous place to live when it comes to accidents. We have the highest rates for many different types of accidents, such as truck, pedestrian, and bicycle accidents. In fact, 30% of all truck and bus accidents in 2019 took place in California, Texas, and Florida.
Of all of the miles driven throughout each year by all vehicles, semi-trucks account for 42% of those miles.
In 2018 112,000 crashes resulted in injury and 414,000 crashes that resulted in property damage only.
Truck Accident Fatality Statistics
Because commercial trucks are much larger and much heavier than passenger vehicles, the force in which they strike another vehicle is large, often causing serious damages and fatality.
In 2018, 4,136 people died because of large crashes, a 31% increase from 2009. These fatal accidents occurred most frequently between the hours of 6 am and 3 pm. In 2018, October was the deadliest month for truck accidents.
Even though commercial trucks only make up 4% of the vehicles on the road, they account for 1 in 10 highway deaths. Large trucks account for 9% of all fatal crashes in the United States.
Most of these fatal accidents occur in rural areas on weekdays during the day. Not nearly as many accidents occur at nighttime or on the weekends.
While it may seem like more fatal crashes would occur on highways, that’s actually not the truth. Most fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred on major roads (52%) as opposed to interstates and freeways (33%) or minor roads (14%).
How Do Cars Affect Truck Accidents?
While truck accidents are known for being more deadly, they still don’t get as much flack as car accidents do. When you think about a traffic accident, you probably think about a car accident first. However, cars aren’t the only cause of serious injury or fatal accidents. Commercial vehicles play a large part in these issues as well.
Traffic accidents are the 5th leading cause of death in the United States, and cars are responsible for 80 to 91% of all truck accidents. Unfortunately, car occupants are also the most likely to die in truck crashes, with 67% of fatalities being occupants of passenger vehicles. This pattern is supported by Minnesota motor vehicle accident statistics.
Additionally, drivers should note that a speeding vehicle will increase the chance of a truck or car accident. In fact, almost 10,000 people lost their lives because of speeding in 2018.
What if I’m Involved in a Truck Accident?
Sure, these truck accident statistics are great to know, and it’s good to stay informed when it comes to the dangers on the road, but there’s one important thing you need to think about—what to do if you’re actually involved in a commercial truck accident. If you or someone you love has been injured in a commercial truck accident, it’s in your best interest to hire a talented truck accident attorney to help you get the compensation that you deserve for your damages.
Truck accident lawyers will work with you to establish your case, determine liability, and negotiate a settlement. They’ll take care of everything on your behalf so you or your loved one can focus on resting and recovering. Truck accident injuries are no joke, and our talented team of truck accident attorneys is ready to help you get the compensation and justice that you deserve.
For more information or a free case evaluation, please contact us online or at 651-291-7263.