How Large Trucks are Making the US Roads Unsafe for Everyone
The movement of products and services, which is so important to the American economy, is mostly handled by the trucking industry. About two-thirds of all products are moved throughout the nation by trucks. Truckers have a responsibility to keep other road users safe in addition to operating bigger vehicles and transporting weighty, sometimes dangerous loads. Sadly, a variety of causes can result in tragic truck collisions, which invariably have catastrophic results.
Experts expect that heavy vehicle accidents will rank as the sixth leading cause of mortality by 2030 due to an increase in incidences. Currently, truck accidents cause about 130,000 injuries annually and have resulted in a 52% increase in fatalities since 2009. Unfortunately, the majority of these fatalities involved commercial vehicles. It is best to contact an attorney right away after a semi-truck accident since trucking companies will try their best to lowball the victims. A lawyer can protect you from trucking companies and insurance companies.
Following is a discussion of how large trucks are making the US roads unsafe for other drivers and passengers:
Why are Big Trucks So Risky?
Truck drivers have a difficult job because to deliver their loads on time, they must travel hundreds or sometimes thousands of miles in all kinds of road conditions. They undergo a specialized training that enables them to control large, awkward vehicles in a variety of traffic and weather conditions. While technical problems with the brakes and tires are a common cause of truck accidents, driver error is also a key factor in many cases. They can be;
- Oblivious to their surroundings or other cars on the road due to blind spots
- Inattentive or sleepy driving
- Aggressive and fast driving
- Bad judgment
An average passenger car weighs 2.5 tons, whereas a fully loaded semi-truck can weigh up to 40 tons. In general, the danger of a collision increases with the weight of the truck. Tractor trailers were involved in approximately 74% of all fatal truck incidents in 2019. When a driver stops too quickly, their 18-wheeler may lose control, jackknife, and crash into other cars. Semis need a lot more space to stop than smaller passenger cars. Speed and weight are likely additional contributing factors in many crashes, as evidenced by the fact that interstates and highways account for a third of all truck accidents.
What Harm Happens in a Truck Collision?
Truck accidents are usually serious. Serious injuries like the following are brought on by the enormous weight and size difference between a car and a heavy truck:
- Spinal-cord injury
- Head injury
- fractures or sprains of the back and neck
- Burns and internal bleeding
Due to the heavy weight of the vehicles, incidents involving semi-trucks sometimes result in fatalities. Making them heavier and longer could make them more dangerous to control or stop, raising the possibility of fatalities in collisions with those vehicles. Additionally, as bigger and heavier trucks become more common on American roadways, the expense of maintaining those roads is certain to rise. Finding out what legal options are available to people whose lives have been affected by the tragedy of a catastrophic truck accident is crucial, especially if the truck driver or other third parties share the blame for the collision.
