Georgia residents are no strangers to seeing trucks passing through their roads. Unfortunately, the increasing presence of such huge vehicles makes it more likely for trucking accidents to occur. These statistics show the severity of these accidents.
The rate of truck accidents has increased over the years
Since 2009, there’s been a 52% increase in truck accidents. Annually, around 130,000 people suffer from serious, often catastrophic injuries as a result. Because of the massive size and weight of the vehicles, it’s common for victims to suffer injuries such as broken bones, whiplash, internal bleeding, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries.
Most truck accident fatalities affect men
In 2018, the majority of fatalities stemming from truck accidents affected men. Males accounted for 97% of those deaths. Most of those victims were the drivers of the trucks.
Cargo is not the biggest factor
Cargo is not a major factor in truck accidents occurring. In reality, they only make up 4% of all such accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Driver error is noted as the biggest reason behind truck accidents.
Speeding is the main factor in truck accidents
Speeding is the main factor in truck accidents. Sometimes, the truck driver is the one speeding, but other times, it’s the driver of another vehicle doing it. This is a dangerous habit because of the design of the truck’s braking system. It takes longer for trucks to brake, which can be deadly if someone is speeding.
Most fatalities from truck accidents affect passengers
When a passenger vehicle is involved in a truck accident, a passenger is more likely to be killed rather than the driver. Around 97% of deaths from accidents involving a car and truck involve passengers in the car.
These statistics show how serious truck accidents are and that all drivers need to be as cautious as possible.