A truck accident is more than just another car crash. These are serious and often deadly accidents that pose a growing problem throughout the country. The issue is so prevalent that members of Congress joined the Truck Safety Coalition to call for action to advance safety reforms for these types of crashes.
The meeting was the result of a recent report finding that truck fatalities had increased by over 13% from the previous year. This translates to 5,600 fatalities and more than 146,000 serious injuries due to truck accidents in our nation. The numbers are even worse if you compare more than just the most recent two years. The rate of commercial truck accident fatalities in 2020 is 66% higher compared to rates reported in 2009. The issue is especially prevalent in Texas, which reports the highest number of total fatalities in the country due to truck accidents in 2020.
Why are these crashes so bad? Two specific reasons that truck accidents are more serious than an average car wreck include:
#1: Simple physics
The rules of physics play a major role in the difference in severity between these two types of accidents. A traditional car crash involves two passenger vehicles, maybe a large SUV and a smaller sedan. Although there is likely a weight difference between these vehicles it is nothing in comparison to the weight difference between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle.
That weight difference translates to force. A large vehicle has a lot more force when it is in motion compared to a smaller vehicle. In a crash, the force transfers to the other vehicle and often those within the vehicle. This can lead to catastrophic injuries far worse than if the accident involved two passenger vehicles.
#2: More players
An accident between two passenger vehicles generally involves the drivers and their insurance providers. When a commercial vehicle is involved, the responsible players can expand to include the employer of the driver as well as the maintenance team.
This can make hold the responsible parties accountable for the wrongdoing that led to the accident even more difficult. Victims are wise to seek legal counsel to help better ensure they build a case that holds all responsible parties accountable for their role in the accident so they can increase they chances they get the compensation they deserve to help cover the costs that result from the tragic crash.