Semi-Truck Accidents

Semi-Truck Accident Statistics

Semi-trucks make up about 13 percent of the trucks on the road today. Ninety-eight percent of semi-truck accidents result in one or more deaths. Semi-truck accidents cause $20 billion in damage per year. One semi-truck accident costs an average of $60,000.

Why Semi-Truck Accidents are so Dangerous

The person who is in the passenger vehicle is often the one who dies in the semi-truck accident. Semi-truck accidents often result in death or serious injury because they can be 20 to 30 times bigger than the average car. Semi-trucks also take longer to come to a complete stop than cars.

Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents

Driver fatigue is one of the top causes of truck accidents. Many truck drivers are paid based on the number of miles that they drive per day. Even though federal regulations place limits on the number of hours that people can drive per day, many truck drivers still do not take breaks. That is why many accidents are caused by fatigue.

Distracted driving is another common cause of truck accidents. Cell phones are among the top distractions. People cannot keep their eyes or attention on the road when they are using a cell phone. Adjusting the GPS, fiddling with the radio, drinking and eating are some of the other ways that people can get distracted.

Driver inexperience can also cause a truck accident. Many trucking companies do not spend enough time training truck drivers. Putting an inexperienced driver out on the road can lead to an accident.

Contact Smith & Vanture

You need to contact a West Palm Beach personal injury attorney if you have been hurt in a truck accident.

A West Palm Beach truck accident attorney will review your case and determine whether the truck driver was at fault for the accident.

You may be able to receive compensation if you were hurt due to negligence.