According to data from the National Safety Council (NSC), almost 5,000 people are killed in truck accidents in the US every year. Although large trucks only account for 4 percent of all registered vehicles on the road, they account for 9 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal accidents.
Have you or someone you love been severely injured or killed in a truck accident? If so, please be assured that you do not have to handle everything alone. The compassionate legal team at Phillips Law Group is here to help. Our truck accident lawyers can investigate your case, inform you of your legal rights, file all necessary paperwork, and negotiate a just and fair settlement on your behalf.
While a collision involving a large truck can occur on any street or highway, statistics have shown that there are certain areas where fatal trucking accidents occur more often. Some might assume that semi-truck and tractor-trailer accidents happen more frequently on busy highways with high traffic congestion.
However, statistically, large truck accidents happen more often in quiet rural areas outside of city limits. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that as many as 57 percent of fatal traffic accidents occurred in rural areas.
Whether truck drivers are traveling on a rural or city roadway, they need to obey all traffic laws and follow safe driving practices.
The speed limit may be 65 mph or higher on rural roadways. However, in urban areas, the speed limit is usually reduced. Some cities even have a reduced speed limit specifically for large trucks, which is generally 10 mph less than standard-size vehicles. In addition, there are urban locations that limit which lanes within city limits that semis and tractor-trailers are allowed to use.
In general, truck drivers tend to reduce their speed and be more alert to their surroundings in urban locations. Since there are more vehicles and pedestrians to keep track of, they will likely be more vigilant and take care to avoid causing an accident.
In a rural area, truck drivers may have long stretches of open road, devoid of drivers or pedestrians. The lack of traffic, towns, and people can lead to a driver lowering his or her guard and becoming less attentive to the task of driving.
Long stretches of road can be hypnotic, drivers traveling perhaps several miles without being aware of their surroundings. The monotony of the drive may even lull a person to fall asleep while behind the wheel.
A trucker may become bored and engage in distracted driving behaviors such as texting, eating, watching a video, or reading. All such distractions can cause a driver to be distracted from the road and cause a severe accident.
Additional factors that may contribute to the higher number of fatal car accidents in rural areas may include:
If you have ever driven down a highway, you have likely had the frightening experience of having to swerve out of the path of a semi-truck changing lanes or you have looked in your rear-view mirror to see a tractor-trailer coming up behind you at a high speed. The massive size and weight of an 18-wheeler make them frightening to share the road with when you are in a standard-size vehicle.
It is the responsibility of both truck drivers and other motorists to drive defensively and try to prevent accidents from occurring.
The following are tips to prevent a truck accident:
Truck accidents can leave victims suffering physically, emotionally, and financially. If you or someone you love has been severely injured or killed in a truck accident, you may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. The personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group can review your case, file a claim or lawsuit on your behalf, and help you recover the financial compensation you are entitled to.
Our law firm believes that everyone deserves skilled legal representation regardless of his or her current financial situation. For this reason, we take all truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that we charge no upfront fees and only require payment if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf.