Reduction In Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks

According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, fatal crashes involving large trucks were down in 2014 from the previous year, but the number of accidents involving injuries increased. The administration looked at data related to about 411,000 police-reported crashes in Maryland and around the country.

The report, which does not deal with determining which driver was at fault, shows that there was a 6 percent drop in fatal accidents per 100 million vehicle miles traveled between 2013 and 2014. However, the number of crashes involving large trucks that resulted in injuries went up by 21 percent. Only 26 percent of crashes took place on rural or urban interstates, and 61 percent of collisions occurred on rural roads. Data also showed that 5 percent of truck drivers involved in fatal crashes were under the age of 25, and 6 percent of drivers were more than 66 years old.

Unsurprisingly, the American Trucking Associations was happy to see the decline, and a spokesman pointed to the fact that there has been a downward trend in fatal accidents involving large trucks. Since 2004, crashes involving large trucks have dropped by 39 percent.

Due to the size and weight of big rigs, the vehicle repair and medical expenses related to an accident involving these vehicles can be enormous. In addition to these costs, people may also see a drop in their income if they have to spend time away from work recovering from injuries related to a crash. When the accident has been caused by a speeding or distracted trucker, an injured victim may appreciate having legal assistance when attempting to obtain compensation from the truck driver and carrier.