Sharing the roads with large trucks is an everyday, and normally very safe, occurrence. Most truck drivers have specialized training and knowledge on handling their vehicles, and they are all too aware of the potential dangers. Sadly, this isn’t always enough to prevent a crash.
Recent data collected by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Association shows predicted crash rates for the last year. Though this information has some optimistic conclusions, there are still points of concern for industry experts, lawmakers and citizens alike. One is that truck accidents may be continuing to rise. Living in Georgia, you likely see large trucks on a frequent basis, so the thought of being in a crash with one may be alarming. Here is what the data tells us about fatal truck collisions.
Crash rate predictions show potential dangers
The projections generated by the NHTSA are part of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. FARS shows that we should expect the rates of all types of fatal traffic accidents in 2019 to fall, lining up with earlier trends from the last few years. Unfortunately, those same projections say that fatal crashes involving large trucks went up in 2019. Granted, the increase may only be 1%, but since this also seems to be a continuing trend, industry experts are rightly concerned.
One point to clarify is that FARS counts crash rates for all large trucks, those owned commercially and privately. The data even puts crashes with bigger pickup trucks in that same category. Even with these considerations, experts still say that safety improvements can prevent future fatalities.
Truck Crashes in the Southeast
Interestingly, though most of the country should see a decline in fatal crashes overall, certain regions may not have the same findings. The data projects that the southeast, including Georgia, will have a 2% increase for 2019. It is not clear whether this increase means that truck crash rates in the southeast rose, though industry leaders find it concerning, nonetheless. NHTSA says that, when the findings are final, we will have a better idea of where and what kind of improvements need to happen.
Though this information will hopefully lead to safety improvements, it can’t prevent truck accidents entirely. If you or someone you care about has received an injury in a crash with a commercial truck, you have every right to hold any responsible parties accountable. No matter what statistics show, you deserve to drive on safe roadways.
