Although the industry often cites statistics to suggest that commercial truck drivers are much less likely to be involved in a crash than other drivers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s records indicate that there are more than 330,000 commercial truck accidents every year in the U.S. – and that those accidents account for about 10% of all traffic-related fatalities. Knowing what you should do if you’re involved in a crash with a commercial vehicle may greatly affect whether – and how much – you will be compensated.
Texas Statistics
The most recent data compiled by the Texas Department of Transportation indicates that in 2016, there were 34,108 crashes involving commercial vehicles in Texas. Those crashes involved 584 fatalities, 1,426 incapacitating injuries, and thousands of other personal injuries and property damage.
Causes of Truck Crashes
Despite the common belief that commercial truckers are better than average drivers, federal data indicates that their errors, mistakes, and negligence are a contributing factor in well over half of all truck crashes. In this regard, the most commonly cited problems are as follows:
- Driving while fatigued
- Driving while impaired
- Violating federal or state trucking regulations
- Distracted driving
- Failing to comply with traffic laws
- Improperly securing loads on trailers
Company Liability
Another mistaken belief is that trucking companies are rarely held liable for accidents involving trucks. In reality, trucking companies are quite often held liable because their own negligence was a contributing factor to an accident. This negligence may involve their failure to properly maintain their vehicles, to conduct proper background checks on their drivers, to properly train their drivers, to perform, mandatory drug tests on their drivers, to properly train their drivers, and to require their drivers to maintain accurate driver logs.
Don’t Rely on Insurance Companies to Protect Your Rights
The truck company’s insurance carrier – and your own insurance carrier – are NOT obligated to protect your rights. Instead, they are focused on protecting their own rights and their own profits. That’s why you need to have an experienced truck accident lawyer to protect YOUR rights – and to ensure that you receive full compensation for your injuries and losses.
Call A Texas Personal Injury Lawyer Today to Discuss Your Case
Commercial trucks are involved in thousands of accidents each year, many of which result in deaths or serious lifelong injuries for the other drivers. And unlike other motor vehicle accidents, the question of “Who was at fault?” in those involving commercial truck drivers often depends on complex federal and state regulations that only apply to the commercial trucking industry.
If you’ve been involved in an accident with a commercial truck, you may need a lawyer who has extensive experience with this type of accident. To schedule a free case evaluation with a Texas truck accident attorney, call the law office of Stewart J. Guss at 800-898-4877 today. CLICK HERE to see Stewart interviewed as an authority on trucking accident cases by Mike Papantonio on his national news program, “America’s Lawyer.”
