Tractor-trailers, single-unit trucks, and cargo vans weighing more than 10,000 pounds account for more vehicle crash deaths each year than their numbers allow for, according to an analysis of 2009 crash data performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Large trucks made up 4 percent of registered vehicles and 8 percent of miles traveled in 2009, but were involved in 11 percent of fatal crashes.
Most deaths in large truck accidents are suffered by drivers and passengers in the car, pickup, minivan, or SUV that collides with the truck, according to the IIHS. Since large trucks can weigh as much as 30 times more than passenger vehicles and have much higher ground clearance, truck accident statistics show passenger vehicles are at a great disadvantage when a crash occurs.
In 2009, 3,163 people lost their lives in truck crashes on U.S. roads. Seventy percent of those killed were riding in passenger vehicles at the time, and an additional 14 percent were on foot or on bicycles. Overall, however, 2009 represented an all-time low in total deaths caused by large truck crashes. The greatest gains were made in saving the lives of truck drivers; the decade prior to 2009 saw a 67 percent drop in driver deaths, versus a 37 percent drop in passenger vehicle occupant deaths.
Large truck accidents can have serious consequences. At Page Law, our knowledgeable Missouri truck accident attorneys are committed to fighting for the rights and compensation needs of those injured in truck accidents. To discuss your case with us, call us at (314) 322-8515 today for a free and confidential consultation.
A truck driver was killed in a tractor-trailer accident on Missouri Highway 116 after he hit a jackknifed big rig. According to a report in the St. Joseph News-Press, a 45-year-old driver lost control of his 2000 International tractor-trailer on the snow-covered road. His truck then crossed the centerline, struck a rail on a bridge, and jackknifed in the road. The tractor-trailer was then hit by another big rig which was being driven by a 35-year-old man. The 35-year old big rig driver was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of the collision. The driver of the truck that crashed initially was not injured.
A number of truck accidents in Missouri this month are being caused by truck drivers who are not exercising caution while driving on snow-covered roads. Officials say excessive speed often results in tractor-trailers jackknifing and posing significant risk of injury or death to others on the road. That’s exactly what seems to have happened in this particular fatal truck accident. Such tragedies are easily prevented by truck drivers who operate their large trucks carefully and slow down in bad weather conditions.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Missouri big rig accident caused by a negligent or reckless truck driver, please contact a reputed St. Louis accident truck injury lawyer at Page Law for a free, comprehensive and completely confidential consultation. We will get our legal team working on your case right away and help you secure fair compensation to cover your losses. Call Page Law today at 1-866-620-5757.
Source:http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2009/dec/09/snowfall-slick-roads-cause-two-fatal-accidents/
Tractor-trailers, single-unit trucks, and cargo vans weighing more than 10,000 pounds account for more vehicle crash deaths each year than their numbers allow for, according to an analysis of 2009 crash data performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Large trucks made up 4 percent of registered vehicles and 8 percent of miles traveled in 2009, but were involved in 11 percent of fatal crashes.
