
Trucking Accident Lawyer
Here is an outline of accident statistics for roadway accidents involving commercial vehicles, drawing from the provided search results:
I. General Overview:
- High Consequence: Accidents involving commercial vehicles (large trucks and buses) often result in more severe injuries and fatalities due to the size and weight difference compared to passenger vehicles.
- Significant Numbers: Hundreds of thousands of commercial vehicles are involved in police-reported traffic crashes annually in the United States.
- Fatality Increase: There has been a concerning increase in the number of fatalities involving large trucks over the past decade.
II. Fatal Crashes:
- Number of Fatalities: In 2022, 5,936 people died in large-truck crashes.
- Increase Over Time: This number represents a 2% increase from 2021 and a significant 49% increase over the last 10 years.
- Occupant Type: The majority of deaths in large-truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles (around 70%), followed by truck occupants (around 19%), and non-occupants like pedestrians and bicyclists (around 11%).
- Rate per Mile Traveled: While the number of crashes and fatalities has increased, the rate of fatal crashes per 100 million large-truck miles traveled was 1.4 in 2022, lower than the rate for passenger vehicles (1.7).
- Decrease in 2023: Preliminary data for 2023 indicates a decrease in large truck crash fatalities, with one source reporting 4,807 deaths, the lowest since 2018. However, other sources indicate a continued rise in fatalities in 2023.
- Texas Leading: Texas consistently ranks as one of the states with the highest number of fatal truck accidents.
III.
Truck Accident Attorney
Injury Crashes:
- Number of Injuries: In 2022, approximately 161,000 people were injured in large-truck crashes.
- Increase Over Time: This is a 3.9% increase from 2021.
- Occupant Type: Similar to fatalities, most injuries occur to occupants of other vehicles (around 73%), followed by truck occupants (around 26%), and non-occupants (around 1%).
- Rate per Mile Traveled: The involvement rate for injury crashes per 100 million large-truck miles traveled has also increased in recent years.
- 2023 Data: Injury figures for 2023 are also high, with one source reporting 86,842 injuries.
IV. Types and Locations of Crashes:
- Rural Roads and Interstates: More than half of fatal large-truck crashes occur on rural roads, and about a quarter on interstates.
- Daylight Hours: The majority of these crashes happen during daylight hours (around 61%).
- Construction Zones: A notable percentage (around 4.6% in 2022) of fatal large-truck crashes occur in construction zones.
- Intersections: A significant portion of commercial truck accidents in Texas occur at intersections.
- Common Accident Types: Rear-end collisions and rollover accidents are frequently reported types of commercial vehicle crashes.
V.
North Texas Accident Attorney, Jeffrey Beltz
Contributing Factors:
- Speeding: A significant percentage of truck accidents are attributed to speeding.
- Driver Fatigue: Long work hours and sleep deprivation are major risk factors.
- Distracted Driving: Activities like texting or phone calls contribute to a substantial number of accidents.
- Impairment: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a factor in some truck accidents, though less so than in other vehicle types.
- Maintenance Issues: Inadequate maintenance, particularly of brakes, can lead to accidents.
- Road and Weather Conditions: Non-dry road surfaces and adverse weather conditions increase the risk of crashes.
- Loss of Control: This is a factor in a significant percentage of large truck accidents.
VI. Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT):
- Large trucks account for a significant portion of total vehicle miles traveled.
VII. Comparisons to Other Vehicles:
- While large trucks are involved in a smaller percentage of all crashes compared to passenger vehicles, their involvement in fatal crashes is disproportionately higher relative to their share of total registered vehicles.
- Large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes have a lower percentage of BAC over the legal limit compared to drivers of other vehicle types.
VIII.
Serious Accident Attorney
State-Specific Data (Example: Texas):
- Texas has a high number of commercial vehicle accidents, fatalities, and injuries.
- Certain counties in Texas, like Harris and Dallas, have particularly high rates of truck accidents.
- A significant percentage of truck accidents in Texas occur in intersections and involve factors like speeding and unsafe turns.
Note: Accident statistics can vary depending on the reporting agency and the year of data collection. The information above reflects data primarily from 2021, 2022, and some preliminary data for 2023 and 2024, as available in the provided search results. It’s important to consult official sources like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for the 1 most up-to-date and comprehensive data.