Trucking Through Colorado? Here Are 10 Commercial Truck Accident Statistics You Should Know
Most commercial truckers have undergone road safety training and understand the many hazards and conditions that could lead to an accident. However, it’s easy to believe it could never happen to you. Unfortunately, the grim reality is that accidents can happen to anyone, even those who follow the rules and remain vigilant.
Here are ten trucking accident statistics you should know if you drive a commercial vehicle.
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 159,000 people sustained injuries in large truck accidents in the US during 2019. Of those injured, 69% were occupants of other vehicles, 29% were occupants of large trucks, and 3% were nonoccupants (i.e., pedestrians and cyclists).
- In 2020, 4,842 trucks were involved in a fatal crash. While this number does represent a 4% decrease from 2019, it still marks a 33% increase from 2011. In addition, the number of deaths from large truck crashes (4,965 in 2020) increased 31% from 2011.
- As with injuries caused in large truck crashes, the majority of large truck deaths are occupants of other vehicles. Of the 4,965 individuals who died due to large truck accidents during 2020, 71% were occupants of other vehicles, while only 17% were truck occupants. Non-occupants, primarily bikers and pedestrians, account for the remaining 12%.
- While large trucks are involved in around 10% of fatal accidents, an estimated 80% of these accidents are due to car drivers not following traffic procedures. This tendency may be due to recklessness or an overestimation of the average truck driver’s ability to stop suddenly. Car drivers often merge without caution, make left turns in front of trucks, or cut them off at intersections.
- Fatal trucking accidents are 10% more likely to occur in rural areas. Because 75% of Colorado’s 64 counties are rural, truckers are more likely to experience accidents than in more urban areas.
- In 2020, 64% of fatal truck accidents occurred during the day, while only 36% occurred at night. Of the daytime truck accidents, almost 20% of them happened between the hours of noon and 3 pm.
- According to statistics, Saturday and Sunday tend to be the safest days of the week for truck drivers to be on the road. Alternatively, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday accounted for over half of truck-related accidents in 2017, with 18% of accidents occurring on Thursday alone (745 deaths).
- Contrary to popular belief, drug and alcohol abuse are not among the top causes of truck accidents. Instead, the most common causes of large truck accidents are mechanical issues, such as tire and brake defects, sleep deprivation, and new tour routes.
- Although trucks account for only 4% of vehicles on the road, they account for almost 1 in 10 highway deaths.
- Most truck accident fatalities occur on non-interstate roads (74%) as opposed to interstate highways (26%), which holds true in Colorado. According to recent data, Colorado State Highway 5 has been ranked as one of the top 10 most dangerous roads for truck drivers in the U.S.
While many news outlets may paint trucking accidents as the result of carelessness or improper training on the trucker’s part, the statistics show that this usually isn’t true. If you feel you have been unfairly blamed for an accident and require a Colorado truck accident attorney, Boyle Law Firm is here to help.
Mr. Boyle is a Denver truck accident lawyer with a proven track record of obtaining maximum settlements for his clients so that you can get your life back on track sooner rather than later. Justice is within reach – call us today at (720) 379-5480 to schedule your free consultation.