Commercial Vehicle Fatality Facts

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a total of 4,136 people died in large commercial vehicle crashes in 2018. Sixteen percent of these deaths were commercial vehicle occupants, sixty-seven percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and fifteen percent were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists. The number of people who died in large commercial vehicle crashes was thirty-one percent higher in 2018 than in 2009 when it was the lowest it has been since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975. The number of commercial vehicle occupants who died was fifty-one percent higher than in 2009.

The majority of death cases in large commercial vehicle accidents are passengers of vehicle occupants, especially people traveling in smaller cars. Large commercial vehicles weigh twenty to thirty times more compared to passenger cars and are taller with much greater ground clearance, which can result in smaller passenger cars ending up beneath large commercial vehicles in accidents.

Commercial vehicle braking capability can be a factor in commercial vehicle crashes. Loaded tractor-trailers take twenty to forty percent more distance to stop than cars, and the discrepancy is greater for slippery, wet roads or poorly maintained brakes. Commercial vehicle driver fatigue also is a known crash risk. Drivers of large commercial vehicles are allowed by federal hours-of-service regulations to drive up to eleven hours at a stretch. Surveys indicate that many drivers violate the regulations and work longer than permitted. Harvard conducted a study and learned half of the commercial vehicle drivers interviewed stated they experienced falling asleep while driving.

Fifty-two percent of deaths in large commercial vehicle crashes in 2018 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways, thirty-three percent occurred on interstates and freeways, and fourteen percent occurred on minor roads.

Fifty percent of large commercial vehicle crash deaths in 2018 occurred from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., compared with thirty percent of crash deaths not involving large commercial vehicles.

Free Commercial Vehicle Accident Legal Consultation

The attorney you choose does make a difference; don’t get hurt twice. Our expert legal team has proven to be dedicated, compassionate, and most importantly, effective fighters for our clients. We have handled thousands of personal injury cases and recovered millions of dollars for our clients. We are with you every step of the way. We handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, and we never charge a fee unless we win.

Hollingsworth Law Firm is located at 1415 North Loop West, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77008. You can call us at 713-637-4560 or fax at 713.474.9017. Our office is open Monday through Friday from seven in the morning until seven at night and closed on Saturday and Sunday. You can always send us a message on our website.