Fatal auto accidents are something we often hear about on the news, and the reports sometimes make us wonder – is the number of accidents going down or up?

The laws of texting while driving, additional enforcement on drinking while driving and the variety of safety measures should really make a difference.

According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) the answer is yes, but it’s a bit complicated. The number of fatalities in automobile accident has dropped by 2.4% compared to 2018.

Unlike automobile accidents, truck accidents are on the opposite end of the curve and have increased by 0.9% in a recent year. Most of the time, in truck accidents, the ones that suffer in the collision aren’t truckers, but other drivers and passengers that they hit.

From the automobile-related fatalities 62% of fatalities were drivers and passengers of cars and small trucks. Only 3% of fatalities were commercial or large vehicles.

Trucking fatalities – Common causes

The American economy is switching towards home deliveries and shipping. This not only increases the number of products that get moved around, but also puts a bigger pressure on truckers to make deliveries on time.

Alcohol-related collisions have decreased in 2018 which means that the most common causes of trucking accidents are actually:

• Driver fatigue
• Distracted driving
• Poor driver training
• Poor truck maintenance and
• Reckless driving and speeding

Increase safety on the road

Even though the number of tricking accidents is growing, there are certain things you can do in order to reduce the risk:

• We should all practice defensive driving
• Drivers should avoid being next to or directly behind (tailgating) large trucks or in their blind spots.
• Practice the 3 second rule.
• Be diligent in wearing your seatbelt – Not sure if you know but more than 85% of survivors of car accidents were buckled up.
• If you see any form of reckless or irresponsible driving, like texting, you see that the driver is tired or he is doing anything else that might jeopardize your life or the life of someone else…don’t hesitate in calling the police.

Everyone should do what they can in order to support the implementation of the national polities and increase the safety on the roads. Keep in mind that trucks are normally 25 times heavier than regular cars so truckers should pay extra attention to driving responsibly and ethically.

If you were hit by a large truck

If you or your loved one was in an accident involving a truck, you’re most likely going through a challenging time. Trucking accidents, since they are more severe than car accident, can leave pretty severe injuries and disabilities that turn your life upside down.

Accidents that involve trucks and big rigs are most of the time complicated and can mean a lot of complicated and convoluted paperwork. So having a skilled and qualified personal injury lawyer is required.

If you need counsel regarding a personal injury claim from a car or truck accident, contact us today.