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Truck Accident Statistics

Washington, DC, Maryland & Virginia

Today, there are more commercial trucks on America’s roadways than ever before. As traffic density continues to increase and competitive trucking companies push their drivers to deliver heavier loads on a tighter schedule, truck accidents are becoming more frequent and more severe. Motorists need to be exceptionally careful when sharing the road with a tractor-trailer.

Basic Truck Accident Statistics for 2010

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

• Over 500,000 truck accidents occurred in the year 2010
• More than 100,000 people were seriously injured
• More than 5,000 people were killed

The death toll for 2010 is a significant increase from 2009, when only 3,200 deaths occurred, and experts do not anticipate these numbers to plateau anytime soon. Over 20% more commercial trucks are expected to be on the roads by 2012. The U.S. Department of Transportation is under pressure to increase safety regulations in order to stop the number of truck accident deaths from continuing to rise.

Other Facts About Truck Accidents

The following statistics help put the growing problem of commercial truck accidents into proper perspective:

• Up to 40% of all truck accidents are caused by driver fatigue.
• Around 98% of all semi-truck accidents cause at least one death.
• Fatal tractor-trailer accidents cost people over $20 billion every year.
• Truck drivers who text while driving are over 23 times more likely to cause an accident.
• Whenever a driver reaches for a cell phone, they are 6.7 times more likely to cause a truck accident.
• If a trucker has been driving for over 10 consecutive hours, the risk of an accident doubles.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured in a truck accident, please contact our experienced Maryland and Virginia truck accident lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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