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Fatal crashes involving large trucks increase in 2016

On Behalf of | May 29, 2018 | Trucking Accidents |

Texas motorists may be interested to learn that fatal accidents involving large trucks increased by 3 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to a report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. While the raw number went up, fatal crashes involving trucks stayed at the same rate when calculated on a per mile basis. The report, titled Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts, also showed that 73 percent of fatal incidents were started by an object, person, animal or other vehicle encroaching into the truck’s lane.

Rural areas were the most common location for fatal truck crashes during the report’s analysis period. More than one in four occurred on the nation’s interstate highway system. In addition to accidents that resulted in fatalities, more than 100,000 large truck crashes caused injuries in 2016, a significantly higher rate than in 2015. The vast majority of these incidents occurred at daytime during a weekday.

For the purposes of the report, large trucks were identified as those with a gross weight greater than 5 tons. There are more than 11 million of these types of trucks registered to drive on America’s roadways. In a statement from the FMCSA, an official noted that it is still relatively difficult to get highly accurate data about truck-related accidents, but gathering methods are getting better.

Victims of 18 wheeler accidents can suffer both physically and financially. High medical bills, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering and lost wages can all put a lot of stress on a family. In some circumstances, an attorney may be able to help a victim seek compensation from the party responsible for the accident. A lawyer can evaluate a client’s situation and recommend what course of action to take.