There are many semi truck accidents every day and if you have been involved in one, you may want to consult a trucking accident lawyer Arlington Heights Illinois. The legal team at Carlson Bier Associates will make sure you are protected and help you get justice.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately 12.4 million trucks travel our highways each day. Trucks are a significant part of the economy and are used to transport goods and services across every state in the country. The trucking industry supports over 7 million jobs, which means that many Americans depend on this mode of transportation for their livelihoods.
Because they are used so frequently, semi truck accidents happen every day, and as with any other accident, there are certain statistics that can help us understand how often they occur.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Data
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and it regulates commercial motor carriers in the United States. In the US in 2020 there were about 14 fatal large truck crashes per million people. That is a 27% increase from 2010.
In addition, on average, in 90% of those crashes, there was one fatality and 83% of those were not occupants of the large truck. If someone you loved died in a fatal trucking accident, you want to consult a trucking accident lawyer Arlington Heights Illinois to help you with your legal claims.
NHTSA Data
Commercial Trucks account for only 9% of all vehicles on the road but are involved in 15% of all crashes leading to fatalities. Semi trucks are involved in more crashes than cars, but they’re also much bigger and heavier. This means that semi truck accidents tend to be more severe than car accidents.
In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), commercial trucks account for only 9% of all vehicles on the road but are involved in 15% of all crashes leading to fatalities. If you or a loved one have been in a crash, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Contact our trucking accident lawyer Arlington Heights Illinois for a consultation.
The sheer size of these vehicles makes them difficult for other drivers to see and avoid them. This is especially true at night or in bad weather conditions when visibility may already be limited by foggy glass or snow-covered windshields.
A trucking accident lawyer Arlington Heights Illinois will protect your rights
Trucking accidents are a serious threat to public safety. In fact, trucking accidents cause more than 4,000 deaths each year in the United States and result in an average of $10 billion in damages annually. Trucking accidents can also cause serious injuries or death, property damage, and environmental damage.
Because these vehicles are so large, they have greater potential to cause harm than smaller cars or trucks on our nation’s roads. A semi truck weighs as much as 80 tons when fully loaded with cargo. That’s about 20 times more weight than most passenger cars. The size of these trucks makes them difficult for drivers to control on icy roads or during inclement weather conditions like rain storms or snowstorms.
The statistics show that every year, thousands of people are injured or killed in truck-related accidents. If you have been involved in one of these crashes, it may be worth consulting with an experienced trucking accident lawyer Arlington Heights Illinois who can help you determine whether there is any legal recourse available to you.