It is impossible to properly calculate the percentage of accidents caused by semi-trucks each year. That is because not all accidents are reported, and the fault is not always clear for those that are. However, it is possible to derive a rough estimation from the data we do have.
Every year, there are roughly six million accidents that occur on United States roadways. Accidents involving large trucks account for approximately six to seven percent of those collisions. However, the semi-truck is not always at fault. In fact, in over half of these incidents, the passenger vehicle is actually responsible for the collision.
That means that of all the accidents that occur on the roads each year, semi-trucks are the cause of roughly 2.5-3.5%.
Semi-Trucks Are Responsible for a Higher Rate of Fatalities
While semi-trucks may only be responsible for 3.5 percent of all accidents at most, numbers rise when it comes to fatal accidents. Because of the extreme size and weight of these vehicles, in comparison to your average passenger car, they tend to pose a much higher risk to the occupants of other involved vehicles.
All of the numbers regarding percentages of semi-trucks in fatal crashes roughly double those put up in all collisions. That means that as many as seven percent of all deadly accidents on the road are caused by semi-truck drivers.
Occupants of Other Vehicles Are at a Much Higher Risk
When a fatal accident does occur between a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle, the occupants of the smaller car are generally at a much higher risk. Of the fatalities that occurred in accidents involving semi-trucks in 2018, over 96% of those killed were occupants of the passenger vehicle, with only 72 deaths among occupants of the semi-trucks.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You Build a Strong Case
If you are injured in a semi-truck accident, recovering compensation is critical in order to keep up with your medical bills and help you on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, the trucking company likely has a team of high-priced lawyers with a long history of fighting these cases. The best thing you can do to level the playing field is to hire an experienced truck accident lawyer.
A truck accident attorney will completely take over your battle for compensation, leaving you free to focus on your recovery without the stress of worrying about how to pay for everything. Your attorney will investigate your accident, determine all liable parties, and gather evidence to support your case.
They will then assess your damages and evaluate the full value of your compensation claim. After that, they will file all appropriate paperwork with the courts or an insurance company. If you are filing a lawsuit, your attorney will then begin the pretrial process and, if necessary, argue your case in a courtroom.
Most Semi-Truck Accident Cases Settle
As your attorney is going through all of these steps, they will also be engaging in talks with the legal counsel for the other side. The aim of these discussions is to try to come to terms with a settlement agreement. The majority of these types of cases end up settling out of court.
It is usually the best option for all parties involved, so there will be a strong motivation to come to an agreement. Your attorney will relay any offer they receive and advise you on whether they believe it is a fair offer or if they think your case is strong enough to be able to fight for more. Trucking companies are likely to start off with an offer that is far below what your claim is actually worth and will attempt to convince you that it is the best offer you are going to receive.
Fortunately, a truck accident lawyer can provide a roadblock to this assault, as the trucking company can not approach you directly with an offer once you have hired representation. This puts you in a much stronger position, and once the trucking company realizes that they can’t trick you into a terrible deal, they will quickly move on to a more reasonable offer.