The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) accident statistics for 2012 indicate fatalities involving large trucks went up over 4% from the previous year.
There were 3,921 traffic deaths involving these large vehicles in 2012. Of these fatalities, 83% were not occupants of the truck involved.
The 2012 NHTSA report also indicated semis were involved in 330,000 total non-fatality crashes that resulted in 104,000 people injured. Seventy-six percent of those 104,000 injured were not the occupant of the semi.
Most drivers give wide berth to those big semis traveling down road. There is good reason to be concerned about over-the-road operators. Truck drivers must follow very specific rules about the amount of time behind the wheel. However, the realities of their occupation require drivers to push or ignore limits in order to get paid. Many truck drivers that have caused an accident have violated their allowable hours behind the wheel.
Since trucks are mainly "for hire" vehicles, the owner of the truck may be at fault as well as the driver behind the wheel. Proper maintenance, who leased the vehicle, the firm that loaded it or vehicle malfunction can all attribute to the claim, which may also include the vehicle's manufacturer, or in the case of a blow-out, the tire maker. Multiple negligent parties can complicate a full recovery. Adequate representation by experienced attorneys are key to finding the cause of a large truck accident.
If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident involving a large truck, call Burnett Legal Group at (402) 810-8611 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.