Trucking Accident Statistics
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,921 people were killed and 104,000 people were injured in an astounding 333,000 accidents involving large trucks in 2012—a 4% increase from the prior year.
Trucking Accidents in Texas
Even more astounding is the fact that 14.3% of all trucking accidents in the United State occurred in Texas. That is nearly 3 times the percentage of the next ranking state. As the oil business continues to boom in addition to an increase in the number of vehicles entering U.S. soil from Mexico, the number of accidents is likely to increase.
Causes of Trucking Accidents
Trucking accidents are often due to driver error. However, upon looking further into the reasons for an error, it is clear that the trucking companies themselves are just as responsible when an accident occurs. A failure to follow state and federal law by turning a blind eye on requirements such as:
- Driver logs
- Monitoring distracted or tired driving
- Failing to perform careful driver screening and background checks
- Failing to ensure that their trucks are properly maintained
They are omissions that put the chain of events in motion that leads to driver errors. Those failures lead to the preventable deaths of many people.
What to Do in a Trucking Accident
Preserving evidence, gathering documentation, and being able to navigate the state and federal laws that keep trucking companies and their drivers in check are all difficult tasks. Hiring a lawyer experienced in trucking accident cases with a network of experts and resources in order to investigate and properly pursue a case against the responsible parties is imperative.
