Semi truck accident statistics help shed light on how serious a problem big truck crashes are on our nation’s roads.
At Cohan PLLC, our truck accident attorneys believe that showing you the facts about semi truck accidents and their causes will better help you understand the dangers you face on the road.
Our families drive the same Nevada roads and highways as yours do. Our attorneys want to keep everyone safe.
The Trucking Industry
According to the Department of Transportation, there are currently 15.5 million trucks in operation in the U.S. The trucking industry also employs about 8.9 million people. Of those workers, 2 million are truck drivers. Truck driving is a heavily male-dominated profession: Just 4.1 percent of truck drivers in the U.S. are women.
18-wheeler trucks continue to carry most of the freight around the nation. According to the DOT, about 70 percent of goods transported across the country are moved by truck. Planes and trains make up the other 30 percent.
Commercial truck drivers work long hours. When on a shift, most drivers work 11 to 14 hours. This includes driving, fueling, and filling out paperwork.
A profitable industry, trucking produces about $255 billion annually. Truck companies pay about $21 billion to operate on our roads. Trucks spend another $3.9 billion per year on fuel.
However, compared to passenger cars, trucks are involved in accidents at a much lower rate. Trucks are three times less likely to be involved in an accident than a regular motor vehicle. Semis are also four times more likely to pass safety inspections than cars.
Semi truck accidents account for 2.4 percent of all accidents on U.S. roads.
Fatal Truck Accidents
According to the DOT, about half a million truck crashes occur in the U.S. annually. One out of every eight of those trucking accidents is fatal.
Of all fatalities in semi truck accidents, 98 percent of those deaths occur to the passengers in cars struck by trucks.
Among fatal crashes, 68 percent occur on rural roads. Roughly two-thirds of all fatal truck accidents happen during the daytime.
Leading Causes of Semi Truck Accidents
Many careless mistakes can lead to an accident with an 18-wheeler. Here are some common truck crash causes our office sees:
Brake problems
Speeding
Hazards in the roadway
Drug or alcohol use
Fatigue or drowsiness
Failing to stay in lane
Inattention
Texting or talking on a cell phone while driving
Top 10 Driver-Reported Factors
Here are the ten most prevalent truck driver-related factors we see in truck accidents, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, followed by the percentage of how often those factors play a role in truck accidents. You’ll see that, in nearly every accident that occurs due to a truck driver’s error, one of the following categories played a role in the wreck:
Brake problems: 29%
Driving too fast for given conditions: 23%
Driver not being familiar with the roadway: 22%
Problems with the road: 20%
Over-the-counter drug use by the truck driver: 17%
Poor surveillance: 14%
Fatigue: 13%
Pressure to work from the carrier: 10%
Driver making an illegal turn or maneuver: 9%
Driver not paying enough attention: 9%
Most Common Fatal Truck Accidents
There are most common types of fatal truck accidents that occur most frequently, according to the FMCSA:
Head-on collision: 31%
Rear-ended by another vehicle: 19%
The truck is struck on the left side while passing on the right: 14%
The truck is struck on the right side while passing on the left: 11%
In 25% of crashes, other causes triggered the truck accident.
Three-axle tractors pulling two-axle trailers account for 89 percent of truck accidents. In just under half of semi wrecks, doubles (two trailers) consisted of a two-axle tractor with a one-axle first trailer and a two-axle second trailer.
Where Do Truck Accidents Occur?
A truck accident can happen in a split second anytime, anywhere when a semi is on the road. However, semi truck accidents are most likely to occur on long-haul trips. About 65 percent of all fatal truck accidents happen on trips where the driver is traveling more than 51 miles from their base.
Crashes during long-haul trips can often occur because of fatigue. Truckers average less than five hours of sleep per night while on the road. Sleep loss and fatigued driving are similar to being impaired by alcohol. If a driver has had only five hours of sleep for two nights in a row, it affects their driving. After 24 hours of being awake without sleep, a driver operates under the same capacity as if they had a blood-alcohol content of 0.10 percent.
When Are Truck Accidents Likely to Occur?
Truck accidents most frequently happen during weekdays by a large margin. More than three-quarters of all fatal truck crashes occur during the week, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
A truck is also more likely to crash during daytime hours, and two-thirds of all truck accidents occur on rural roads, according to the NHTSA.
Get a Truck Accident Attorney to Represent You
Here’s another statistic for you: truck accident victims who hire a truck crash lawyer are 3.5 times more likely to recover an injury settlement than those who do not hire a truck accident attorney, according to a 2004 study from the Insurance Research Council.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to a truck accident in Las Vegas or elsewhere in Nevada, we know this is likely one of the most challenging times of your life. We want to ease your burden and get you the compensation you need. A trucking accident attorney at Cohan PLLC has the experience and dedication to seek the maximum compensation available under Nevada law.
Contact us here or give us a call today at (702) 623-3579 or (702) 623-3579. Our initial consultation is 100% free. Our semi-trailer truck accident attorneys are waiting to help.
Our firm will do whatever it takes to help you recover.
Call (702) 623-3579 or fill out our contact form!
Chasen Cohan, Esq. is the founder of Cohan PLLC. Mr. Cohan is a licensed attorney who also possesses FINRA Series 7 (Registered Representative) and Series 63 (Uniform State Representative) licenses, state insurance licenses, and State Securities Registrations in Nevada, Missouri, and North Carolina. Mr. Cohan is admitted to practice law before the Nevada Bar, all Nevada State and Federal Courts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Mr. Cohan’s representative clients have included: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Sam’s West, Inc., MGM Grand Resorts International, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Mandalay Corp., The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, The Mirage Casino-Hotel, South Point Hotel & Casino, American Express, Barclays, US Bank, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and various life insurance companies and service providers.
Mr. Cohan is a Las Vegas native who graduated with honors from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Mr. Cohan received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law. During law school, Mr. Cohan served as a clerk for the Office of the Texas Attorney General and a Judicial Extern for United States District Court Judge James R. Nowlin.
Clients from global brands and middle-market companies to innovative startups and individuals trust Cohan PLLC to resolve their trickiest legal disputes. Whether that’s litigation in state or federal trial and appellate courts in Nevada; investigations and enforcement actions before government agencies; or mediation, arbitration, and regulatory agency proceedings. Cohan PLLC has litigated hundreds of millions in dollars of claims on behalf of corporate litigants. As a result of this experience, Cohan PLLC has been afforded the opportunity to selectively act as Plaintiff’s counsel on complex, personal injury matters.