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Are Trucking Collisions Often Caused By Compact Cars?
No driver or passenger wants to be involved in a car accident. Yet automobile collisions occur every day throughout the United States. Although drivers understand the laws regulating motor vehicles and possess licenses to operate automobiles, nearly all motor vehicle accidents can be attributed to human error. Human beings can cause traffic collisions through negligence and carelessness.
If you have been harmed in a motor vehicle accident due to another party’s negligence, contact our California car accident lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation during which we can discuss the facts of your case.
The shipping and trucking industry in the United States is experiencing growth. Transportation systems are being developed and implemented throughout the country, but trucking remains one of the most efficient methods of moving goods across the vast territory of the United States.
The trucking industry is responsible for transporting approximately 72% of all goods in the United States. In the United States, trucking accidents pose a significant threat to traffic safety, potentially resulting in severe or catastrophic injuries. Serious bodily injury and death are more common when a large truck is involved in a crash. When two passenger vehicles collide, the forces involved are more similar than when a passenger vehicle is struck by a large truck.
However, a truck that ships goods across the United States may weigh over thirty thousand pounds. A passenger car that weighs approximately four thousand pounds can be severely damaged if it collides with a large truck.
Drivers in large trucks are often higher off the ground and less likely to be struck by glass and steel during a collision. The driver of a passenger vehicle sitting nearer to the ground may take the full force of the truck’s impact. Trucking accidents can cause severe injuries to all parties involved. Trucking accidents are dangerous, but many people do not recognize that smaller vehicles are often the cause of these catastrophic accidents.
Research, Statistics, & Probability
Transportation safety research suggests that responsibility in truck crashes depends on multiple factors, such as driver behavior, road conditions, and the circumstances of the incident. The most reliable data on trucking accidents in the United States comes from the American Trucking Association, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as the AAA Traffic Safety Foundation and the Transport Research Institute at the University of Michigan.
Large truck drivers were involved in 1.3 fatal crashes per 100 million miles traveled in 2023, which was lower than the 1.6 rate for passenger vehicle drivers. Certain crash types, such as head-on collisions and rear-end collisions, are more commonly associated with passenger vehicles than with large trucks.
While road traffic declined early in the COVID-19 pandemic, federal data later recorded an increase in traffic-related deaths in 2021. Traffic patterns and collision rates vary across regions, and urban areas often experience a higher number of reported accidents due to increased traffic volumes and higher roadway densities.
However, many catastrophic trucking accidents also occur in rural areas. Federal regulations require trucking companies to comply with safety management requirements, though the structure and naming of these programs can vary by company. These systems are designed to support compliance with safety rules and help reduce the risk of collisions involving large trucks.
If you have been injured in a collision, you can reach out to our truck accident lawyers at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free initial consultation. Our legal team has decades of experience helping clients who have been injured during trucking accidents.
Which Facts Should I Know Regarding Trucking Accidents?
The following facts are relevant to all trucking accidents:
- Many truck accidents occur when both vehicles are traveling in the same direction, particularly during merging or lane-changing maneuvers.
- A large portion of fatalities in truck accidents involve passenger vehicle occupants rather than truck occupants, highlighting the vulnerability of smaller vehicle occupants.
- According to federal data, a significant number of trucking accidents occur during daytime hours, particularly between noon and 3 p.m.
- Passenger vehicles are commonly involved in truck accidents, with federal data indicating that they account for a significant number of truck-related crashes.
- Federal data shows that in fatal crashes involving large trucks, approximately 65% of the fatalities are passenger vehicle occupants, while truck occupants account for 16%.
- Government statistics indicate that the number of fatal accidents involving large trucks has increased by over 40% over the last decade.
What Is The Primary Cause Of Trucking Accidents?
Many dangerous acts are performed by automobile drivers close to truck drivers. Some of the common causes of trucking accidents include:
- Passenger vehicle drivers operating their vehicles in areas where they cannot see the road or where their vision is obstructed.
- Changing lanes near a truck without signaling beforehand.
- A passenger vehicle overtakes a large truck that is planning to make a right turn.
- Automobile drivers are making a sudden turn that interferes with a maneuver the truck was performing.
- A passenger vehicle transitions into a traffic lane, causing a large truck to brake suddenly.
- Failure to perform adequate safety measures while traveling at night.
- Roadside traffic turns that cause collisions.
Many of these actions may seem simple, but they are common causes of trucking accidents. When a large truck collides with a passenger vehicle, it can result in catastrophic damage. If you suffered serious injuries in such an accident, our legal team can help you pursue compensation for the resulting losses. Contact us at (888) 488-1391 to schedule a free initial consultation.
The Consequences Of Trucking Accidents And The Liabilities Of Drivers
Trucking accidents are often catastrophic, and it can be challenging to determine the cause, especially when multiple parties are involved. Unfortunately, many passengers and drivers die in these accidents, and these individuals cannot report what happened before the collision. Many observers automatically assume that the truck driver must be responsible for causing the motor vehicle accident.
However, several factors must be considered to identify potentially liable parties and determine their liability, such as the circumstances of the case, the behavior of the driver, and the condition of the road.
Trucking accidents often result in catastrophic and fatal collisions. Commercial trucks are the largest vehicles on the road and weigh so much that any forceful impact can be deadly to drivers and passengers in smaller automobiles. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and severe lacerations are all possible injuries that drivers and passengers can suffer during trucking accidents.
An experienced personal injury attorney can conduct an investigation to determine the causes of these accidents. In some cases, many assume that the truck driver is responsible for a trucking accident, but that assumption is often false. Oftentimes, truck drivers have no control over the causes of a trucking accident. Drivers and passengers involved in trucking accidents usually suffer from the following injuries. Being aware of these injuries can help you understand how long it may take you to heal from an injury incurred during a trucking accident.
Herniated Disk
A herniated disk is a spinal cord injury that causes the discs to move outward. If these discs are damaged beyond repair, the patient can be left with serious pain that requires long-term care.
Spinal Cord Injuries And Back Injuries
Workers may suffer a loss of income from taking time off from work due to spinal cord injuries. Truck accidents can result in serious spinal cord injuries due to the significant forces involved in these collisions. Many patients can suffer from temporary or permanent disability due to spinal cord injuries. Also, many victims can become paralyzed due to severe spinal cord injuries.
Neck Injuries
Injuries other than whiplash frequently occur during trucking accidents. Blunt force trauma can damage the neck enough to cause paralysis and permanent disability. Neck injuries can require years of rehabilitation care and medical treatment.
Internal Hemorrhaging
When a victim bleeds internally, it can take longer for a physician to realize the extent of that victim’s injuries. If it is not treated within a sufficient amount of time, an accident victim may have to have limbs amputated. Essential organs can fail if internal bleeding becomes excessive. If you or a loved one suffered an internal injury, contact a medical professional promptly.
Lacerations
Severe lacerations from glass and steel can be fatal if they damage major arteries. Some small lacerations may not result in serious bodily injury or death, but trucking accidents often shatter glass, and these shards can cause damaging lacerations for all drivers and passengers.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a common injury that often occurs during trucking accidents. Rear-end collisions typically result in serious cases of whiplash. The force of impact can cause the neck to move back and forth in a whiplike motion. This movement places pressure on the muscles and tendons located in the neck. Whiplash can cause discomfort, tingling, headaches, and body aches.
Reach Out To Our Law Firm To Schedule A Free Initial Consultation
Our California personal injury firm has decades of experience representing clients who suffered personal injuries in trucking accidents. Our personal injury firm represents clients across California, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose, San Diego, and Sherman Oaks. Call us at (888) 488-1391 or complete our “Do I Have A Case?” form here to schedule a free case assessment.
