Commercial truck collisions with cars and other passenger vehicles are a huge safety problem in this country. Even if you have been in a truck accident, you might not realize the scope of the danger. Some statistics from the federal government might help make the matter clear.
Transportation Department trucking accident statistics
According to the Department of Transportation, police received reports of about 415,000 accidents involving semis and other commercial trucks in 2020, the most recent year with available statistics. Nearly a quarter of those incidents, or 101,000, caused injuries to someone, and about 1 percent were fatal. Among the deadly crashes, one person was killed in 90 percent of cases, and 83 percent of the time, the person killed was not inside the truck.
Most serious truck accidents involve two or more vehicles, especially fatal crashes. Truck wrecks happen all over, but 54 percent occurred in rural areas, with another 27 percent happening on the interstate and 13 percent taking place on interstates in rural areas. The vast majority — more than 80 percent — of both fatal and nonfatal truck accidents happen on weekdays, and most incidents happen during the daytime. This is probably due to most truck drivers working day shifts, though semis are on the road virtually 24 hours a day.
The human tragedy behind the numbers
Behind these statistics are people from across the U.S. who lost their lives. Their deaths were unnatural and, in many cases, preventable. Many truck accidents happen because the trucker was acting negligently, was impaired by drugs, alcohol or fatigue, or lacked proper training. In such tragic cases, both the trucker and their employer might be liable for damages suffered by the victim and their family.