All commuters have probably seen the wreckage on the side of the road, or have been caught in traffic snarls that are miles long and last for hours, when a tractor-trailer crashes on the Turnpike, Garden State Parkway or any of the other highways in the state. Unfortunately, these all-too-common occurrences often severely injure or take the lives of innocent victims.
Numbers are way up in 10 years
According to the NSC (National Safety Council), the truck-related crash statistics have doubled between 2009 (53,000 crashes) and 2019 (118,000). These 2019 crashes led to 5,005 truck-related deaths, which is a 43% increase from ten years prior. Trucks over 10,000 pounds accounted for 10% of all fatalities on the road despite being just 4% of registered vehicles and accounting for just 7% of all vehicle miles traveled.
Why so dangerous?
While there are is no notable recent studies on the causes of truck-related crashes, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a 2006 study to U.S. Congress that continues to provide insight. The most common reasons for collisions were:
- Driving errors
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for the conditions
- Fatigue, illness, incapacitation and other driver non-performance issues
Victims and families can take action
Truck-related vehicle crashes severely injure or kill motorists and passengers in other vehicles at a far greater rate than accidents with smaller vehicles. The size differential is the leading cause of the uneven numbers and severe nature of the injuries. Insurance companies representing trucking lines will try to fight large financial settlements. Whether settling before going to court or winning litigation, the attorneys at Goldstein, Ballen, O’Rourke & Wildstein, P.C. can provide knowledgeable guidance to you if you or a loved one have been the victim of a truck-related vehicle crash. Call us at 973-473-1113 to schedule your free consultation.