How Much More Likely are Commercial Truck Accidents to Cause Fatalities than Car Accidents?
Tractor trailers are massive. They can weigh as much as 40 tons in Florida. The large size of these commercial vehicles make them especially dangerous. A semi-truck accident is significantly more likely to cause fatalities than a passenger car accident. Here, our West Palm Beach truck accident attorney provides a clear overview of the extreme dangers of tractor trailer collisions.
Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks Occur More Frequently Per Mile Traveled
Federal safety data shows that crashes involving large commercial trucks produce fatalities at a higher rate than crashes involving smaller passenger vehicles. When analysts compare fatalities per mile traveled, the difference becomes clearer. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), large trucks are associated with roughly one fatality for every 60.3 million miles traveled, while passenger vehicles experience approximately one fatality for every 81.3 million miles traveled. In other words, fatal accidents occur about 35 percent more frequently in large truck crashes when measured per mile of travel.
Most Fatalities in Truck Crashes Occur in Passenger Vehicles
One of the most striking statistics from federal crash data concerns who is actually killed in these collisions. According to NHTSA crash statistics, about 70 percent of the people killed in crashes involving large trucks are occupants of other vehicles, not the truck itself. To put that number into perspective, it means that the large majority of people killed in eighteen wheeler accidents were not actually in the commercial truck. The imbalance reflects the massive difference in size and structural protection between tractor trailers and passenger vehicles. A commercial truck driver sits higher above the roadway and is surrounded by a much larger vehicle structure. In contrast, occupants of passenger cars have far less protection when a heavy truck collides with their vehicle. Of course, pedestrians and cyclists are especially vulnerable in commercial truck accidents.
Truck Accident Victims Have the Right to Seek Full Compensation for a Serious Injury
In Florida, truck accident victims have the right to seek full and fair financial compensation for a serious injury. You can bring a fault-based claim in these cases. A top-rated West Palm Beach commercial truck accident lawyer can help. Along with other damages, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Property damage;
- Emergency room care;
- Hospital bills;
- Other medical costs;
- Loss of current and future wages;
- Pain and suffering;
- Long-term disability; and
- Wrongful death of a family member.
Schedule a Free Case Review With a Top West Palm Beach Truck Accident Lawyer
At Pike & Lustig, LLP, our West Palm Beach truck accident attorney has the knowledge and experience that you can rely on. If you were hurt in a serious tractor trailer wreck, we are more than ready to help. Contact us today for your free, no obligation initial case review. With offices in West Palm Beach and Miami, we handle the most serious of accident claims in South Florida.
