Denver Colorado Big Rig Accident Attorneys

According to statistics provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), 5000 people each year lose their lives in accidents involving trucks. The NTSB also claims more than 25,000 people each year require emergency room medical treatment as a result of truck accidents.

Fatalities and Truck Accidents

While numbers are not yet available for 2005 and 2006, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2004, 416,000 large trucks were involved in accidents. A large truck is defined as a vehicle weighing in excess of 10,000 pounds. Of these recorded accidents, 4,862 resulted in fatalities. Since some of these accidents resulted in multiple deaths, the NHTSA found that 5,190 people lost their lives in 2004 as a result of these large truck accidents. This accounted for 12% of all traffic related fatalities reported in 2004. Additionally, statistics indicate that 116,000 people were injured in these reported truck accidents.

Where Truck Fatalities Happen

Most people instinctively assume congested city highways are more dangerous when considering the likelihood of a fatal truck accident. However, statistics indicate most fatal semi accidents (66%) occurred in rural areas. Of these, most (80%) happened on a week day with 74% occurring during the daytime between the hours of 6 a.m. and 5:59 a.m.

Interestingly enough, during the weekends, 62% happened at night between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. These statistics indicate that the majority of fatal truck accidents do not occur at night or in adverse weather conditions; rather, most fatal truck accidents happen during the day in good weather in ideal driving conditions.

What Causes Most Truck Accidents?

Statistics indicate that the major causes of most truck accidents involving the following:

• Driver fatigue
• Excessive speeding
• Load shift
• Vehicle disrepair / equipment defects
• Truck design defects
• Improper road signs or an absence of them
• Poor road maintenance and road disrepair

According to a study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in 2002 over 37.8% of all truck accidents occurred due to driver-related factors. The FMCSA study found speeding to be the most frequent cause followed by running of the road and lane drift.

Profits vs. Safety -- Speeding and Driver Fatigue

Due to an ever-increasing pressure to deliver goods faster and cheaper, truck drivers often find themselves driving long hours at excessive speeds. Statistics collected for 2004 indicated 26% of all fatal truck accidents involved drivers with at least one prior speeding conviction. A study conducted by the NHTSA led their researchers to conclude 31% of truck driver fatalities are due to driver fatigue or falling asleep at the wheel.

Size as a Contributing Factor in Truck Accidents

Due to the size of semis, the stopping distance for large trucks is substantially greater than for a car. At 65 mph, it takes roughly 162 feet for a car to come to a stop. In the case of a semi-truck, it takes about 420 feet to come to stop. For trucks without a trailer (referred to as "bobtails"), the stopping distance is even more since without a load they are lighter and have less traction.

Underriding

Trucks are supposed to have rear safeguards to prevent cars from riding up under them in accidents. Referred to as "underriding," when cars rear-end a truck due to sudden breaking, the roof of the car is typically torn off. Underriding accidents kill an estimated 1000 people every year in car-truck accidents. The severity of underriding accidents is reflected in the fact that only 2% of those who are involved in an underriding accident survive.

Looking for Information? Contact Chalat & Hatten

If you have been injured in a truck accident or have lost a loved one due to negligence on the part of a truck driver, contact the law office Chalat Hatten & Koupal PC today. We provide free consultations and will evaluate your case and the legal options available to you.