Many Kentucky drivers may be concerned or even frightened when driving near large commercial trucks due to the danger of a severe injury in a trucking accident. The massive size and weight of these vehicles mean that a collision can often lead to severe consequences and even lifelong disabilities. A recent study underlines the danger of trucking accidents, noting that the majority of such crashes are caused due to errors made by the truck driver.
Large commercial trucks are common on American roadways. Every year, over 15 million trucks carry around 70 percent of the nation’s products. However, the number of commercial trucking accidents has jumped by 20 percent since 2007. The Large Truck Crash Causation Study, conducted by two federal agencies, examined 120,000 fatal crashes involving large commercial trucks over a 33-month period. Of the crashes studied, 75 percent involved at least one vehicle in addition to the truck. The study noted that the trucker was found at fault in 68,000 of these crashes.
There were a number of factors that lead to the fatal trucking accidents in the study. Making poor driving decisions, including following too closely, speeding or misjudging the placement of other vehicles, was responsible for 38 percent of the accidents. In 28 percent, crashes were caused when a driver did not notice a situation that required a response, often due to distracted driving. An additional 12 percent of crashes were caused by driver nonperformance, frequently due to truckers falling asleep behind the wheel.
Commercial trucking accidents can be the cause of severe personal injuries. People who have been injured due to the negligent or dangerous driving of a truck driver should consult with a personal injury attorney. A lawyer can help them to pursue damages for their medical bills, pain and suffering and other losses suffered as a result.