Statistics on 18-wheeler accidents abound. One source finds that there is 2.6 deaths per every 100 million-vehicle miles traveled - a rate that is 50% higher than that of any other vehicle on the road.
An average of 5000 tractor-trailers are involved in a fatal truck wrecks every year- often there are multiple deaths and it is the passengers and drivers of the other vehicle who are killed at a much higher rate than the18 wheeler driver. In fact, in a recent year 5567 deaths occurred from 18 wheeler accidents and, of these fatalities, only 713 were the commercial drivers.
The three states with the most semi truck fatalities are Texas, California and Florida. Perhaps the most chilling piece of data to come from any research is the fact that an average of 430 bystanders is killed each year in traffic accidents involving semi trucks. That means you don't even have to be in a vehicle to become a semi truck accident victim.
Although there are numerous state and federal regulations that target truck driving safety it is the responsibility of the commercial truck driver and his or her company to ensure that these rules are adhered to.
Such requirements as the number of hours a driver may be behind the wheel to truck maintenance are important not only to the 18 wheel driver but to every other driver on the road.
Having been a Texas tractor-trailer accident lawyer for the past 20 years I make it a rule of thumb to give big trucks a wide berth on the roads and drive defensively.
