Truck Accident Statistics
Driving on a daily basis is something almost all of us have in common. The Greater Boston area is home to an estimated 4.7 million people, and with 1.8 vehicles per household, it’s important that motorists take extra precautions on roadways.
Allstate Insurance’s Annual Best Drivers Report 2016 reveals that the Boston metro area is home to the most dangerous drivers in America. Motorists here are 167.6 percent more likely than the norm to be in an auto crash, with an average frequency of one incident every 3.7 years per person. The Allstate report ranked Boston 200 out of 200 cities when it comes to safe drivers.
With so many auto accidents in Boston, it’s inevitable that some involve large trucks. Tractor-trailer crashes can be the most devastating. Given their enormous size and weight—twenty to thirty times heavier than passenger cars—occupants in smaller vehicles are more vulnerable to injury and death in a Massachusetts truck accident, as indicated by the region’s truck accident statistics.
Truck Accidents Most Dangerous for Smaller Vehicles
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, of the estimated 438,000 large trucks involved in police-reported traffic accidents in 2014, there were 3,903 people killed and an estimated 111,000 people injured in these crashes involving large trucks.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that in 2014, 97 percent of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck were occupants of the passenger vehicles. Just 3 percent of fatalities in these deadly accidents were occupants of a large truck.
Boston Truck Accident Statistics
In Massachusetts from 2004 to 2011, large trucks represented 5 percent of vehicles involved in fatal crashes and 3 percent of those vehicles caused an incapacitating injury. The percentage appears to be increasing. The Massachusetts State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section tracks a number of statistics related to 18-wheelers and accidents:
- In 2011, more than 1,880 crashes involved a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), as did 8.5 percent of all crash deaths.
- The fatal crash rate per vehicle miles traveled for CMV drivers was more than five times higher than that of non-CMV crashes. The injury crash rate was two times higher than the rate for non-CMV crashes.
- One-third of all crashes involving CMVs are angle crashes.
- Seventeen percent of CMV crashes occur on freeways, whereas 60 percent of CMV crashes occur on two-way undivided roadways.
- CMV crashes generally occur on weekdays during business hours.
- CMV crashes may result in severe secondary effects, such as hazardous material spills, unexpected traffic congestion, or secondary crashes.
- Driver distraction was the most common issue reported in truck accidents.
- In 2011, the overall safety belt usage rate for CMV drivers in Massachusetts was almost 55 percent, significantly lower than both the national average of 80 percent for CMV drivers and the non-CMV Massachusetts drivers belted rate of almost 74 percent.
Truck drivers are held to a higher standard than drivers of passenger vehicles, and trucking companies are required to follow strict procedures involving hiring practices, truck maintenance, recording keeping, and time on the job.
How an Attorney Can Help with Your Truck Accident Claim
The experienced Boston truck accident attorneys from the Law Offices of Joel H. Schwartz know both federal and state laws, in addition to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), including all of the following:
- Licensing requirements for truck drivers
- Required documentation
- Limits on consecutive work hours
- Training requirements
- Weight, size, and route limitations
- Trucking insurance minimums
Retain a Boston Truck Accident Lawyer
Our attorneys have extensive knowledge of these laws and the resources to successfully investigate your claim. The knowledgeable Boston truck accident attorneys of Joel H. Schwartz are prepared to help you recover financial damages to compensate for the physical and emotional damage you have suffered. Call 617-742-1170 for a free consultation.