Fatal crashes by large trucks increase
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found that fatal accidents involving large trucks in Louisiana and across the United States increased by 3 percent in 2016. The FMSCA study also found that 73 percent of these crashes were due to another person, vehicle, object or animal entering the large truck’s lane.
The FMCSA released its study, entitled 2016 Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts, in May 2018. It took more than a year to compile and assess in order to ensure the report was as accurate as possible. In 2015, 4,074 large trucks were involved in deadly crashes. This number increased to 4,213 in 2016. The statistical rate, which is the number of large trucks that contributed to fatal accidents per 100 million miles traveled, remained the same at 1.46.
Due to the number of yearly fatalities involving large trucks, the FMCSA is joining with the United States Department of Transportation and the National Safety Council in launching a “Road to Zero” initiative. It aims to reduce the number of fatalities by increasing safety measures and standards.
Loss of life due to a truck fatality can result in costly medical bills, loss of income and pain and suffering of family members. Compensation can help a family that lost a loved one with medical and funeral expenses. A lawyer may be able to help a family receive compensation by filing a civil suit. Negligence must be proven in order to receive compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. In a situation involving a commercial truck fatality, a lawyer may be able to prove negligence by showing that the truck driver was tired during the incident by introducing driving logs as evidence. Cell phone records, traffic cameras and witness reports may also be used to prove that the truck driver was negligent in the traffic accident.
Tags: Truck Accidents
