Truck Accidents
Thousands of commercial trucks make the roads risky
In 2016, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that there were 524,058 interstate and intrastate motor carriers in the United States. These include government carriers, for-hire carriers, private carriers and dual-purpose carriers (hire and not-for-hire). The FMCSA regulates the drivers who are working in the United States along with those who require commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs). The agency believes approximately 5.9 million commercial motor vehicles are in operation within the United States presently. The total number is increasing as well.
A 2015 report indicated that there were 32,166 fatal collisions in the United States that year. Of those, 11.9 percent involved large trucks of buses. For nonfatal crashes, approximately 7.6 percent, 476,000, involved a large truck or bus.
What can you do to avoid getting into a crash?
The main thing that drivers can do is make sure they give large commercial vehicles enough room. One of the best things you can remember is that you need to be able to see the driver’s mirrors. If you see the driver’s mirrors, it’s highly likely that the driver can see you, too.
If you plan to pass a large vehicle, give it enough space so that you’re not cutting the driver off or making him or her brake. Large vehicles do not stop as fast as smaller passenger cars or motorcycles, so keep this in mind before you try to glide into the lane in front of a commercial vehicle.
By slowing down and monitoring your distance, you can stay safer. If you do get hit because of the driver’s failure to see you or due to his or her actions, you can seek a claim for your injuries and damages.
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Free Case ReviewSource: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics,” accessed May 10, 2018
Author Matt Boulton
