The thought of an 18-wheeler bearing down on you in heavy traffic is likely one of your worst fears as a driver. We’ve all been behind the wheel on the interstate when we notice a big rig veering into our lane and experience a sudden jolt of panic. Are our fears justified, or are crashes involving large trucks rarer than we think? We did a bit of digging to find out the answer.
Determining the Frequency of Truck Accidents in Ohio
In 2018, the most recent year for which statistics are available, there were 1,068 traffic fatalities on Ohio roads, according to
information provided by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Of those deaths, 121 were fatalities in crashes involving commercial trucks.
How Frequent are Truck Accident Deaths in Ohio?
In 2018, more than one in 10 traffic fatalities in Ohio involved a heavy truck. If
national statistics are any indicator, around two-thirds of those deaths were occupants of cars or other passenger vehicles. Meanwhile, 16% of those deaths were truck occupants, and another 15% were pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. Ohio, along with the U.S. as a whole, has seen an increase in the number of large truck crashes in recent years. It’s worth asking why this is happening, so we can better understand the dangers motorists need to be aware of.
Are Large Trucks a Growing Threat in Ohio?
In 2018, approximately
36,560 people died in vehicle crashes in the U.S. That was a slight decrease from 2017. Ohio saw a similar trend—there were 111 fewer traffic fatality deaths in 2018 than the previous year. However, there were three more deaths from heavy truck crashes in 2018 than in 2017. Though you could draw conclusions based on these statistics, it’s more important to understand that large trucks have always been dangerous when they’re operated negligently. Like all drivers, truck drivers are susceptible to distraction, fatigue, and drowsiness. But because of major shifts in the trucking industry and dangerous and sometimes illegal practices of trucking companies, truck drivers might be more susceptible to some of these dangers.
Why All Motorists Should Care About Trucking Safety
Truck drivers are under a lot of pressure to deliver their shipments on tight deadlines. That means they are under greater pressure to drive for longer periods, often under more stress. Lawmakers even passed what is called
“hours of service” regulations to limit how many hours truckers can drive in a given period. However, some truckers will falsify these numbers, or may be encouraged to do so by their employers, to work more hours. Why does all this matter to the rest of us? Large trucks like 18-wheelers are the most dangerous vehicles on our roads when they’re driven by fatigued, distracted, or overly stressed drivers. That 18-wheeler veering into our lane might be the result of dangerous changes in the trucking industry.
Making Ohio Roads Safer for Everyone
There are many ways to lessen the frequency of truck accidents in Ohio. Technological advancements like smarter vehicles could make big rigs safer. New laws and policies can and should be considered to make the job of a truck driver better, which makes the road safer for passenger vehicles. As attorneys who represent clients who have been injured in truck wrecks, we believe it’s our job to make our roads safer by holding negligent parties accountable when they hurt others. When we take a case on behalf of a truck accident victim, we investigate the causes of the crash to determine who was at fault. In some cases, a driver is solely responsible for the crash. In others, a trucking company bears a great deal of liability for the injuries our client suffered. By holding the at-fault parties responsible, we get compensation for our clients and, hopefully, ensure that other motorists aren’t harmed by trucking companies or their drivers.
Contact Our Team to Get a Free Case Review
If you’ve had the misfortune of suffering injuries in a collision with a commercial vehicle, contact the
Ohio truck accident attorneys at
Nurenberg Paris. Our lawyers have recovered more than $1 billion for our clients, including a
$34.6 million verdict for a traumatic brain injury victim in a truck underride accident. Let us hear more about your case, so we can help you understand your legal options.
Call us today or fill out our online contact form to learn more.
