Texas residents may not understand how common large truck accidents occur and how severe the repercussions may be. Accidents of this nature have increased; 2012 showed a 4-percent increase than the former year. An estimated 3,921 individuals died, and 104,000 individuals were injured in truck-related accidents in 2012. During the same year, statistics showed that large trucks totaled 4 percent of all vehicles that were registered in the United States. Trucks of this type are classified as those weighing over 10,000 pounds.
Trucks are also more likely to be the source of fatal collisions that involve several vehicles than they are likely to be the source of a fatal collision involving only one other vehicle. In fact, 81 percent of fatal collisions involving multiple vehicles have occurred in large truck accidents compared to 58 percent of fatal collisions involving only a single vehicle and a large truck.
Among the large truck collisions that resulted in a death in 2012, almost 18 percent of the truck drivers had previous speeding convictions. The large size and weight of a commercial truck makes it more dangerous in an accident situation. In some cases, truck drivers may not be adequately trained in safety measures while on the road or may be encouraged to drive at faster speeds because they may be offered better pay if they can deliver goods faster.
One of the most common reasons for an accident caused by a truck driver’s negligence is not getting enough sleep but still being required to drive extremely long hours. Whenever a large truck accident causes catastrophic injury to another driver, the recovery process can be extensive, both financially and physically. The company that insures the truck driver should pay for the associated medical expenses and lost wages, but if the claim is denied, then a lawsuit may be necessary.
