More Drivers on the Road Leads to Dramatic Increase in Truck Wrecks
Statistics gathered by federal agencies confirms that the increase in traffic on the nation’s highways and roadways post-pandemic has had an unfortunate, but not surprising, result—a dramatic increase in motor vehicle accidents involving commercial trucks. Because truck accidents have historically involved more fatalities, there was a corresponding increase in deaths caused by truck accidents.
Actual Number of Accidents Increased in 2021
According to reporters at Forbes Magazine, who looked at the stats gathered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), the number of truck accidents nationwide jumped more than 25% from 2020 to 2021, with just over 415,000 reported in 2020 and nearly 524,000 in 2021. Officials have long observed a trend in motor vehicles accidents of all kinds, based on the number miles Americans put in on the roads. In the past, when gas prices went up and people drove less, motor vehicle accidents and fatalities went down. During COVID, because there were far fewer commercial trucks on the roads, the actual number of accidents dropped.
Majority of Truck Accidents Do Not Involve Personal Injury
According to data from the NHTSA, more than three of every four truck accidents, some 310,000 in 2020, do not cause any type of personal injury. Nonetheless, because of the size of most commercial trucks, a motorist involved in a semi-truck accident is approximately four times as likely to suffer a fatal injury than a motorist in a passenger vehicle accident.
Have You Been Seriously Hurt in a Truck Accident?
At the Law Office of Michael R. De La Paz, we have more than 26 years of experience helping people who have suffered needless injury in a motor vehicle accident of any kind. We assist clients nationwide and throughout Texas, including clients from South Padre Island, Galveston and Houston areas. Arrange a free consultation today to evaluate your potential case.
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