Truck Accident Lawyer provides a tractor trailer accident review
With the economy in better shape more trucks are on the road. This results in more truck accidents which means people are injured or even killed. Truck accident lawyer, Frekhtman & Associates, reviewed the statistics of truck accidents and found the results alarming.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicates that when a death occurs in a truck vs. car crash, the death is most likely the passenger vehicle occupant.
Trucks outweigh a car by 20-30 times. In some cases the car can actually fit under the truck because the truck is much higher off the ground. Therefore the damage to the car is devastating for the passengers.
Accidents are often blamed on the truck not being able to brake. With a full load they require a higher distance to stop than a car. When the roads are wet or icy the distance becomes even more significant.
If the truck brakes are not in good operating condition it may cause an accident.
Drivers have indicated on surveys that they violate the hours-of-service regulations. Working longer than they are allowed results in driver fatigue which contributes to accidents.
In 2013 over 3,600 people died in truck crashes. 67% of the deaths were the car occupants and 15% of the deaths were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists.
In 2009 the number of fatalities was 14% lower than in 2014. This is believed to be due to the improvement in the economy in 2014 meaning more trucks are on the road. These trucks are under pressure to meet schedule deadlines increasing the likelihood of unsafe driving practices.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over 70% of fatal truck accidents occurred on weekdays and the majority of those were between the hours of 6am and 6pm.
As the number of truck accidents rise, the number of people injured or killed also rises. Families suffering the consequences of a truck accident struggle with financial and emotional burdens. Appropriate compensation can help ease that struggle. To learn more about recovering from a truck accident contact us.