Truck Accidents Statistics

If you have been involved in an accident with a large truck or have lost a loved one in a collision with a semi, the truck accident specialist at the Gomez Law Firm can help.

• A person involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer, semi-truck or 18-wheeler, sustains serious injures or is killed every 16 minutes.
• 429,000 large trucks were involved in traffic collisions (both fatal and minor) in the U.S. in 2001:
• 4,793 were involved in fatal crashes
• 5,082 people died
• 131,000 were injured
• Of the 58,512 total fatal vehicle accidents in the United States in 2003, 4,669 were large trucks involved in fatal truck accidents.
• Tractor-trailer trucks are more likely to be involved in a fatal multi-vehicle crash than are passenger vehicles.
• 5725 fatal accidents occurred in California in 2003. The highest number of fatal traffic accidents happened U.S.
• Trucking revenues totaled $610 billion last year and revenues are forecasted to nearly double by 2015.
• Most fatal truck accidents occur in rural areas (68%) during the daytime (66%) and on weekdays (78%).
• In 2002, the majority of large truck crashes occurred in good weather (71 %), on dry roads (71%), during the daytime (75%), and on weekdays (88%).
• About a quarter of all large truck drivers involved in fatal truck accidents in the United States had at least one prior speeding conviction compared to about a fifth of the passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes.
• From 1992 to 2002, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has increased by up to 10% due to driver fatigue, unsafe vehicle operation, large, unstable loads or defective equipment.
• Contributing to the number of large truck accidents each year are defects including those to tires or wheels, brakes, engine/transmission and steering wheel defects.
• About 700 heavy truck drivers and passengers in truck cabs die each year. In addition, almost 3,700 persons in cars and other passenger vehicles die annually in collisions with heavy trucks.
• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that in crashes involving large trucks and other vehicles, 98% of the fatalities occur to the people in passenger vehicles.
• The FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) classifies a truck as large if its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) exceeds 10,000 pounds.
• The majority of fatal crashes involving tractor-trailer trucks include trucks that are pulling one trailer. A recent survey showed that 64% of fatal truck crashes had one trailer. Thirty-two percent of those involved single-unit trucks (no trailer) and fewer than 4% of the those involved multi-trailer vehicles (more than one trailer).

The Gomez Law Firm charges clients of truck accident claims on a contingency basis. What that means is the attorney is only paid if he or she wins money damages for you the client. Contact the Gomez Law Firm today.