WHY TRUCKS POSE SUCH A HIGH RISK OF CAUSING A SEVERE, FATAL CRASH

A study of the cause of truck crashes was recently published in the International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion. Researchers note that, while trucks only comprise 8 percent of all traffic on United States roadways, they can be blamed for as much as 11 percent of all fatal crashes.

With previous studies, it was determined that the outcome of a crash increased in severity depending on the level of distraction or degree of drug or alcohol intoxication of the trucker. However, after examining 1,134 crash cases for this study, researchers were able to expand their listing of risk factors for truck accidents.

Aside from the aforementioned, they found traffic volume on the roadways, especially among trucks, to increase the overall risk of a fatal crash occurring. Researchers also found that speeding, especially at any rate higher than 45 mph, gave way to an increased risk of a more severe accident occurring. They discovered that speeding raised the chances of a fatal collision occurring by as much as 50 percent.

Among the genders, male truckers were found to engage in behaviors that put them at the highest risk for being involved in fatal crashes. Some of these problem driving practices included aggressive driving, driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs or while fatigued or speeding. In fact, researchers found that their risk of involvement in a fatal crash was seven times greater than that of non-impaired drivers.

Truck type and weather also seem to have an impact on crash rates according to researchers. They found that the longer the truck, the more likely a trucker was to have difficulty seeing along in that critical right hand-side blind spot. As for weather, they found that the more inclement the weather, the higher risk truckers had of becoming involved in fatal crashes.

If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident with a tractor-trailer, then a Bowling Green, Kentucky, truck crash attorney can advise you of your right to request reimbursement of your medical expenses in your case.

Source: Science Daily, “Trucks a significant cause of severe accidents, study finds,” accessed Sep. 14, 2017