The newest annual statistics on fatal trucking accidents show that almost three-quarters of those killed in the United States are occupants in vehicles other than the trucks.
In February, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration released an overview report on the nation’s large truck accidents for 2015, the most recent reporting year. The report states that 86 percent of the trucks involved in fatal accidents that year weighed over 13 tons.
This is one good explanation for why the overwhelming majority of those killed in big rig crashes are occupants in other vehicles. Passenger cars simply are no match for the overpowering size and weight of tractor trailers. It’s also important to note that another 10 percent of those killed in trucking accidents in 2015 were pedestrians and bicyclists.
Deaths of Passengers in Other Cars from Trucking Accidents
All totaled, 4,067 people were killed in 2015 in accidents involving large commercial trucks. That’s an overall 4 percent increase over the number who died in truck-related crashes the year prior. More specifically, the number of occupants in other vehicles killed rose 5 percent in 2015 over 2014. According to the NHTSA, this is the most people in other cars killed in trucking accidents since 2008. And deaths of non-occupants – walkers and bicyclists – jumped 4 percent in 2015.
Of the 106 people in Missouri killed in large truck crashes in 2015, 72 were occupants of another vehicle. Another 14 people died while they were walking or riding a bike.
A not-very-surprising conclusion from the report is that most fatal truck accidents occur when there are the most number of drivers on the road. Almost 80 percent of fatal crashes involving a commercial truck happened Monday through Friday, and 73 percent occurred between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Big Rig Drivers Most Likely to Have Crashed Before
Another conclusion from the 2015 trucking accident report? Many truckers don’t learn from their mistakes. Of all motor vehicle types included in the NHTSA truck accident overview – passenger cars, motorcycles, light trucks, and large trucks – drivers of the big rigs were the most likely to have been in a previous crash.
The facts don’t lie. Large trucks and careless truck drivers continue to pose serious, even catastrophic dangers to others sharing the road with them.
If you had a loved one killed or you were seriously hurt in a crash involving a big rig, consult an experienced truck accident attorney, who can hold a trucking company responsible for its negligent actions.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertising.
Authored by: Gray Ritter Graham in Blog on March 16, 2017
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