Truck drivers are not necessarily intentionally negligent or malicious on the roads, but the reality is that they work a job that can lead to exhaustion and distractions behind the wheel. Truck drivers are held to high standards, but that doesn’t mean that some won’t drink and driver or fail to stop when they need to rest.
Truck accidents can cause serious harm to the victims in other vehicles and could injure the truck driver, too. That’s why the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has so many specific rules for drivers regarding their medical requirements, schedules and training.
To learn more about truck accidents, here are five statistics that you should know. They may surprise you.
- Millions of trucks are on the roads each year
Did you know that there are 3.5 million truck drivers in the United States alone? Up to 200 billion miles are traveled by these trucks annually. During those routes, around 130,000 people are injured in truck accidents.
- 75% of communities rely on truck drivers
Around three-fourths of American communities need truck drivers to deliver services and goods to their locations. Around 4% of trucks involved in crashes are carrying hazardous cargo on the way to those destinations.
- Speeding is a major cause of truck collisions and fatalities
Speeding causes around 14% of fatal light-truck accidents and up to 7% of fatal large-truck accidents.
- Passenger vehicle occupants are at the greatest risk of death in a collision with a truck
Around 97% of those killed in large truck accidents are in passenger vehicles. The smaller size of these vehicles makes them particularly prone to damage and crushing in these collisions.
- Three out of four collisions happen on weekdays
Many truck drivers are on the roads during the week, so it makes sense that the majority of crashes do, too.
These are a few statistics to keep in mind when you’re driving. As someone in a passenger vehicle, you’re at a greater risk of injury or death in a trucking accident, so be aware of your surroundings and try to stay clear of these large trucks.
More Georgia Truck Accident Resources
If you’d like to learn more about truck accidents in Georgia, read our informative articles below. We explore many different aspects of Georgia truck accidents so that we can answer any questions you may have.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents
- Georgia’s Commercial Truck Laws
- How Truck Wrecks Differ From Car Crashes
- Evidence Spoliation Issues in Truck Crashes
- When Should I Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer?
