Truck Accident Statistics: How Common are Truck Accidents?
25th March 2021
How common are truck accidents in the U.S.?
In 2018 there were 499,000 police-reported commercial truck accidents in the United States. That makes for an average of about 1,367 crashes every day. Truck accidents have increased in recent years, with traffic fatalities up 27% from 2010.
How common are truck accidents in North Dakota?
Pickup trucks, vans, utility trucks, semi-trucks, and truck tractors made up 69% of all fatal crashes in North Dakota in 2013! Burleigh county and McKenzie county are the two most dangerous counties with the most accidents and fatalities.
57% of fatal accidents took place in rural areas, and 43% took place in urban areas. 25% of fatal large truck crashes took place on the interstate, while 75% took place on non-interstate roads.
A fatal crash is much more likely to occur during the day, with 64% occurring during the day and 36% occurring at night.
How often are truck accidents fatal?
Out of the 415,000 police-reported crashes that occurred in 2015, about 4,050 of them resulted in at least one fatality. 69% of fatalities were the occupants of cars and passenger vehicles, while only 16% of fatalities were truck occupants.
In 2019 there were 2,757 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities out of the 300,050 miles traveled that year. That’s nearly 1 death per 100k vehicle miles.
What are causes of truck accidents?
Unlike car accidents, many different parties could be liable for a truck accident. Because of the multiple involved parties, there are many different causes for truck accidents. They can be caused by the driver, trucking company, loaders, manufacturer, truck renter, and more.
Truck Driver
The truck driver can be liable for a motor vehicle crash if their negligence leads to the accident. This could involve:
- driving while under the influence
- distracted driving
- aggressive driving
- driving while fatigued
- speeding
In 2015, the top three leading causes of truck accidents were prescription drug use (26%), traveling too fast (23%), and over-the-counter drugs (17%).
Trucking Company
The trucking company may be liable for the large truck accident if their behavior can be proved to be negligent by the court. The trucking company may be negligent for actions such as:
- over-scheduling employees past the legal limits
- not providing proper training to employees
- not drug testing
- lack of maintenance to keep trucks in a good standing condition
Loading Team
The proper loading of a large truck is vital to ensuring that the goods and driver stay safe. If a truck is improperly loaded, it could cause items to shift around during the drive, potentially causing rollover or other accident types. About 6.7% of truck accidents occur because of overturning or rollover.
Manufacturer
In the case that a motor vehicle crash occurs because of a defective part or manufacturer error, the manufacturer of the truck or the specific part may be liable for the accident. If the part was recalled or the manufacturer made the trucking company otherwise aware of the defect, the trucking company could be liable for failing to fix the issue.
Truck Renters
In some cases, trucking companies rent their large trucks from a third party. The third party is usually responsible for any maintenance and ensuring that the large truck is properly working. If an accident occurred because of improper maintenance and the truck was a rental, the rental company could be liable.
What types of injuries occur in truck crashes?
Because trucks are larger and heavier, the injuries they cause can be much more severe than those that would come out of a smaller passenger car-only accident. Truck accident injuries include traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, internal injuries, broken and fractured bones, soft tissue injuries, and more.
With truck accidents, victims may experience multiple injuries at the same time. It’s not uncommon to have, for example, a traumatic brain injury as well as multiple broken bones, especially after a severe accident.
Motor vehicle crash injuries can cause lifelong problems for victims, changing their quality of life greatly. Many require lifelong treatment, including surgeries and physical therapy. Many also experience emotional distress or PTSD from the accident.
What damages can I be compensated for after a truck accident?
After your accident, it’s normal to be stressed out about the losses you’ve incurred. You may be drowning in medical debt or scrambling to pay your everyday bills because of the wages you’ve lost.
Like the ones here at Sand Law in North Dakota, an experienced attorney can help you get the compensation that you deserve for your damages. You can claim damages in three categories, economic, non-economic, and punitive.
Economic damages cover medical bills, lost wages, and other monetary losses you may have experienced because of the accident. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and loss of earning capacity. Non-economic damages are calculated by looking at how much your life quality has changed because of the accident.
Punitive damages are rare but may be awarded to punish the defendant for their actions further. They’re also used to deter the liable party from committing the same act again in the future.
When should I hire a truck accident attorney?
You should hire a truck accident attorney before you speak with any insurance companies. This usually falls around the time you’re receiving medical treatment for your injuries. If you speak to an insurance company without an attorney, they will try and trick you into signing away your ability to file a lawsuit, or they may ask you for a statement in exchange for quick cash.
Avoid getting tricked by insurance companies and hire Sand Law today. We won’t take any fees until we win your case. For more information or a free case evaluation, please contact us online or by phone at 701-609-1510.