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Major injuries and even instant death can happen between a collision involving a smaller vehicle and a big-rig. In such an accident, casualties and fatalities mostly happen among occupants of passenger vehicles, as smaller vehicles are vulnerable to collisions with large trucks. As it is, a large vehicle that often weighs 20 to 30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance can ram through smaller vehicles in most crashes.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,373 people were killed in large truck accidents, accounting for 10 percent of all the motor vehicle crash deaths during that year (32,367). Of the 3,373 people who died in large truck accidents in 2011, about 66 percent of them (2,241) were passenger vehicle occupants, while nearly 16 percent of them (553) were occupants of large trucks. The remaining 16 percent (525) were the unfortunate motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians combined.
Moreover, the number of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes between a passenger vehicle and a large truck were 1,889. About 98 percent of them were passenger vehicle occupants (1,842), whereas the remaining 2 percent (47) were large truck occupants.
Meanwhile, a common factor as to why these horrific crashes happen is on the truck’s capability to stop. While cars are able to stop right away after motorists step on the brakes, trucks take much time to do so, particularly loaded tractor-trailers that take a long time to do so. They cover much of the road more if inclement weather conditions (e.g. wet, slippery roads), or poorly-maintained brakes are taken into account.
Another common factor for such an occurrence is fatigue, especially on the part of the truck drivers. While federal hours-of-service regulations allow truck drivers to drive up to 11 hours on a typical work day (77 hours for a seven-day period), many trucking companies have been found to violate these rules in which the drivers work more hours than they are supposed to.
Incidentally, a truck accident victim may seek damages for the injuries he or she incurred, especially if the incident was caused by negligence. Apart from the driver of the truck involved, the trucking company may also be one of the defendants in his or her case. In order to determine which liable party can be sued, and how much he or she is entitled to receive as compensation for the damages, he or she must immediately consult with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,373 people were killed in large truck accidents, accounting for 10 percent of all the motor vehicle crash deaths during that year (32,367). Of the 3,373 people who died in large truck accidents in 2011, about 66 percent of them (2,241) were passenger vehicle occupants, while nearly 16 percent of them (553) were occupants of large trucks. The remaining 16 percent (525) were the unfortunate motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians combined.
Moreover, the number of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes between a passenger vehicle and a large truck were 1,889. About 98 percent of them were passenger vehicle occupants (1,842), whereas the remaining 2 percent (47) were large truck occupants.
Meanwhile, a common factor as to why these horrific crashes happen is on the truck’s capability to stop. While cars are able to stop right away after motorists step on the brakes, trucks take much time to do so, particularly loaded tractor-trailers that take a long time to do so. They cover much of the road more if inclement weather conditions (e.g. wet, slippery roads), or poorly-maintained brakes are taken into account.
Another common factor for such an occurrence is fatigue, especially on the part of the truck drivers. While federal hours-of-service regulations allow truck drivers to drive up to 11 hours on a typical work day (77 hours for a seven-day period), many trucking companies have been found to violate these rules in which the drivers work more hours than they are supposed to.
Incidentally, a truck accident victim may seek damages for the injuries he or she incurred, especially if the incident was caused by negligence. Apart from the driver of the truck involved, the trucking company may also be one of the defendants in his or her case. In order to determine which liable party can be sued, and how much he or she is entitled to receive as compensation for the damages, he or she must immediately consult with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.
