The Rise of Truck Accidents Across the U.S.
An in-depth truck accident report by CNBC reveals that more than 100,000 individuals are injured in truck-related accidents. About 4,000 individuals suffer fatal injuries and die after a truck accident.
The number of truck-accident fatalities has increased every year since 2009. The fatalities have increased as the overall number of truck accidents has increased due to a recovering economy. As the markets recover, there are greater and greater demands for goods to be shipped across American through the highway system.
Though the number of truck accidents across the nation has risen steadily, there has been little acknowledgement of this rise in media reports. There are several theories about why truck accidents are surging. Unfortunately, the reasons are not simple and involve multiple competing factors.
The reasons behind the sustained increase in truck accidents, include:
- Tired drivers
- Poorly maintained trucks
- Safety technology not being adopted
- Passenger vehicles that do not respect traffic laws
The American Trucking Association estimates that though safety technology can assist truck drivers is readily available, only 10 percent of the trucks actively in service are equipped with this life-saving technology. Part of the reason that this technology is not more widely used in trucks is because there is no federal legislation that requires all trucks in use to be retrofitted to meet minimum active safety technology adoption.
It is clear that the trucking industry is vital to the health of the American economy. It is still the most common way of transporting goods across the country. It is simply not an option to reduce the number of trucks on the roadways. Another point of contention is that the background checks that are supposed to review the driving records and criminal histories of truck drivers, are often deficient.
Future technological developments, such as the fully autonomous truck currently being developed by Mercedes-Benz, will eventually reduce the human error involved in fatal and tragic trucking accidents. In the meantime, federal legislation to require safety features on trucks will be crucial in reducing the number of truck fatalities.
Inkelaar Law, Nebraska truck accident lawyers are available to assist you with any questions. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident, please call 1-877-537-4665.