On behalf of Rooney Law Firm posted in Trucking Accidents.
According to research that was published by the International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, large trucks are reportedly involved in as many as 11 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States. This is despite the fact that trucks themselves only make up around 8 percent of the traffic American highways.
Researchers wanted to find out what might cause some truck accidents to be more or less severe than others. By reviewing over 1,100 accidents and factors leading to those accident, researchers determined that the amount of traffic made up of by trucks at any given time can increase the severity of an accident.
As the percent of trucks on the road goes up, so does the severity of accidents that occur during the same time. Oddly, this factor appeared to remain true even in cases where the amount of overall traffic was lower than normal.
Another factor deemed significant in causing more serious truck accidents was speed. Research indicated that when trucks or other vehicles were traveling 45 miles per hour or more just before an accident, the chance of a fatality doubled.
Other factors that seemed to impact how severe truck accidents are include driver experience, the style and size of the truck, the type and condition of the road, and the time of day. Some of these factors are environmental while others are related to the actions of the driver or the trucking company.
No matter what factors are involved in a trucking accident, if you or someone you know is injured or killed in such an accident, you might have a claim for compensation. The success of such claims can depend on whether or not a third-party, including truck drivers, is proven to be at fault in the incident in some way.
Source: ScienceDaily, “Trucks a significant cause of severe accidents, study finds,” accessed Oct. 16, 2015
