Many experienced truck drivers will tell you that 80% of all truck crashes are not caused by truckers, but by four-wheel vehicles or motorcycles. They claim that many of these crashes are caused by the smaller vehicle merging in front of a large truck, not giving the trucker enough space to avoid a crash. The truth is that’s only part of the story. To get to the bottom of this, we need to look at the evidence.
MULTI-VEHICLE CRASHES
There’s a very important distinction between single-vehicle accidents and multi-vehicle accidents. Overwhelmingly, government organizations agree that smaller vehicles are responsible for about 80% of crashes involving more than one vehicle. But there’s a catch.
These multi-vehicle crashes make up a little over half (60%) of all trucking crashes. The other 40% of trucking crashes involve only the truck driver. Thus, drivers of smaller vehicles do not cause 80% of all trucking accidents. Looking at the total of all trucking accidents combined, it’s closer to about 48%.
SINGLE-VEHICLE CRASHES
Keep in mind that single-vehicle crashes aren’t victimless. They include crashes that block highways, crashes that cause property damage (including those that come through a building), and even those tragic incidents involving a pedestrian. Single-vehicle crashes can have just as devastating consequences as multi-vehicle accidents.
There are many contributing factors in a single-vehicle crash, including driver error, negligent maintenance, and adverse conditions. That said, everyone would benefit from greater driver education and truck safety awareness. Truck drivers may need more training, especially when it comes to classroom hours, and drivers should know how to safely maneuver around a truck without cutting it off or lingering in its blind spots.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries or even wrongful death in a trucking crash, we are here for you. If you’d like to schedule a free case consultation with an experienced Walnut Creek personal injury attorney from Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (925) 275-5592 or send us an email.