Trucks in Maryland transport food and other essential goods, but trucks are inherently dangerous due to their large size. When trucks are involved in accidents with smaller vehicles, the consequences can be devastating.
Truck accident statistics
Large trucks were involved in accidents that killed 4,761 people in 2017. There were also tens of thousands of nonfatal truck accident injuries that year. Although large trucks only make up around 4% of U.S. vehicles, around 10% of highway fatalities in the country involve a large truck.
Common causes of fatal truck accidents
Fully loaded semi-trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds while passenger cars typically weigh no more than 4,000 pounds. The slightest error by a truck driver can be deadly for the occupants of a smaller vehicle, which is one of the reasons truck driving is such a huge responsibility. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Speeding
- Distraction
- Impairment
- Fatigue
Negligent truck drivers are not the only people who can be blamed for fatal motor vehicle accidents. In fact, a little more than half of passenger car drivers who were involved in truck accidents in 2017 were cited for traffic infractions. Small passenger car drivers can make big mistakes around trucks like riding in their blind spots and not accounting for their greater stopping distance.
Compensation for truck accidents
After surviving a truck accident, you may have expensive medical bills, and your car might need repairs or even replacement. If the accident was the truck driver’s fault, you might decide to pursue financial compensation from the truck driver’s insurance provider. Because the truck driver is an employee, the truck driver’s employer may also be named as a defendant in your claim.
