Redlands Truck Accident Attorney

What You Need to Know About Truck Accidents in California

The U.S. economy relies heavily on the trucking industry for the transportation of all goods, and therefore nearly 70% of all goods are delivered in the United States by a semi-truck. With over 222 billion miles a year travelled (as of 2005), it's safe to assume that a certain percentage of these trucks would be involved in collisions with smaller passenger sized cars and trucks.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) reports that in 2011, a total of 88,000 people were injured in crashes involving large trucks, and 3,757 people were involved in fatal crashes with large trucks that same year. Of those fatalities in 2011, 72% were occupants of other vehicles and a mere 17% were truck occupants, while 11% were non-occupants such as pedestrians and bicyclists. (NHTSA)

When one takes into consideration the fact that the average passenger sized car weighs between 3,000 and 4,000 pounds, and a fully loaded trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, it's apparent that a small passenger sized car or truck is no match for these monsters of the road. In 2011, large trucks accounted for 8% of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes and more than two-thirds of the large trucks involved in fatal collisions collided with other motor vehicles while they were in transport. (NHTSA)

Causes of Truck Accidents

Although truck accidents account for a smaller percentage of the total annual accidents and fatalities, they can and do happen. Truck drivers are human and therefore prone to making mistakes, just as any other driver. The problem is that when a truck driver makes a mistake, the consequences can be absolutely devastating for those driving nearby.

Some of the most dangerous types of truck accidents involve rollovers, which can occur when a semi-truck drives over a loose surface and the driver over-corrects while attempting to steer back onto the pavement.