Commercial trucks are big and intimidating. Being in an accident with this type of vehicle often leads to fatalities and devastating injuries. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety attributes many of these repercussions to the size difference between these vehicles; semitrucks are 20-30 times heavier than passenger vehicles, are taller and have more ground clearance.[1] Due to their larger size, trucks require more time to brake, typically taking 20-40 percent more distance to stop than passenger vehicles and even longer on wet or slippery roads.[2]
Another alarming cause for 18-wheeler accidents, unfortunately, relates to money. Trucking companies are often paid by the load, so they may try to get truckers to drive more miles to complete these loads faster. This may incentivize truck drivers to speed or not to rest when they are tired. The federal government recognizes the risks that commercial trucks pose on other motorists and have established a set of rules to govern the trucking industry. One of the most important rules is the hours-of-service rules which limit the number of miles that truckers can drive in a work day and work week and mandates breaks at certain times.[3] These limits are intended to prevent fatigued driving, a known crash risk. However, many trucking companies motivated by pure greed encourage truck drivers to knowingly violate these rules. Surveys show that many drivers violate these rules by driving more than the permitted number of hours.[4] Companies that encourage the violation of these rules may also violate other trucking regulations, such as not providing proper inspections of these vehicles before starting a route or not testing drivers for alcohol or drug impairment.
Because you cannot trust trucking companies to properly regulate themselves, it is often up to regular citizens to report dangerous behaviors of semitrucks. Below, read on to learn more about the dangers of 18 wheelers, particular driving behaviors to look out for and what to do in case you are injured in a truck accident.
Truck Driving Accident Statistics
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that about one in ten highway deaths occur in a crash involving a large truck. It also reports that 4,102 people lost their lives in truck accidents in 2017.[5] The vast majority of these deaths were occupants in passenger vehicles while 14 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists.[6] This number of truck accidents was 52 percent higher than the number of truck accidents in 2009.[7] This was also higher than the number of truck accidents in 2016.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s most recent statistical time period is 2016. It reported the following information about truck accidents that occurred that year[8]:
- 475,000 truck accidents were reported to the police.
- 3,864 of the accidents caused death
- 104,000 of the accidents resulted in injuries
- 83 percent of fatalities involved people who were not occupants of the commercial truck
- Single-vehicle accidents made up 22 percent of the fatal crashes, 14 percent of the injury crashes and 24 percent of property-damage only crashes
- 61 percent of fatal crashes occurred in rural areas
- 27 percent of fatal crashes occurred on Interstate highways
- 37 percent of fatal crashes occurred at night and 23 percent of injury crashes occurred at night
- 84 percent of fatal crashes occurred on weekdays
- Rollover was the first harmful event that occurred in 5 percent of fatal crashes
As you can see, the statistics regarding truck accidents is alarming. This is why it is crucial to be on the lookout for dangerous road behavior and to report it. You could save a life.
Examples of Dangerous Road Behavior
When you are traveling, it is important to look around you for any possible hazards. Some of the dangers related to commercial trucks that you may observe include:
- Speeding – Trucks that speed can cause serious accidents if they are unable to stop in time to avoid an accident. Additionally, these accidents are more likely to cause serious injury due to the faster motion caused by the increased speed. Many states have a lower speed limit than that for passenger vehicles. Additionally, these limits are designed for optimal road and weather conditions. If you see a truck driver going faster than is safe under the conditions, report it.
- Unsafe lane changes – Commercial trucks are big and heavy. They often have larger blind spots due to the increased size and length of the vehicle. It is important that the truck driver shows other motorists his or her intent by signaling before any lane changes. Truck drivers who are swerving in and out of lanes at high speeds and without signaling can cause a serious accident. This could be caused due to impaired, distracted or reckless driving.
- Not following traffic signals or signs – Truck drivers who run red lights or stop signs, fail to yield the right of way to other vehicles or otherwise ignore traffic signals or signs may collide with an unsuspecting motorist who was obeying the law.
- Missing or unused lamps – Commercial vehicles have extra lights on them so that other motorists can clearly see them. Drivers who do have missing headlights, brake lights or turn signals could be driving an ill-maintained vehicle. If they choose not to use these lights, other motorists may not be able to see them or avoid an accident with them.
- Unsecured components – Motorists may notice that a truck has unsecured components that could cause cargo to fall or motorists to be harmed by them. Examples include the truck’s doors, tailgate, tarpaulins, spare tire or other equipment used in the vehicle’s operation.
- Improper loading – Trucks must be carefully loaded in order to avoid having cargo fall off the back of the truck or the weight not being distributed evenly, which can result in a commercial truck jackknifing or rolling over. Cargo should be secured properly so that it does not fall from the vehicle, fall through the vehicle or blow off of it. Additionally, many commercial trucks carry hazardous materials that can cause hazards on the roadway. If you see a leak or spill coming from the truck, it is important to report it so that an accident does not occur and it can quickly be cleaned up. Truck drivers often cannot see their cargo and may not notice if it has shifted to such an extent that the vehicle’s stability or maneuverability is adversely affected. If possible, try to get the driver’s attention and notify him or her of this danger.
How to Report an Unsafe Semi
There are several ways to report an unsafe semi and the one you select will be based off of the potential safety risks involved. The semi should have a company name on it. It may also have the phone number. You may want to call the company and report the unsafe driving habits of the driver. Write down any numbers from the truck, the license plate number and the mile marker number to provide this information to the company.
In case of an emergency situation, such as if the truck driver nearly collided with another vehicle due to unsafe driving or possible impairment, call 911 or the local police authority. Provide as much information about the truck as possible.
You may also want to report the dangerous behavior to the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This can help alert the trucking company of the driver’s risky behavior and document it in case there are future accidents. You can do this by going to the FMCSA’s website at http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/. At this site, you can report incidents involving an interstate safety issue or safety issue involving a carrier of hazardous material that occurred within the last 60 days.
Click on “Truck Safety” and check the box. You will provide information about yourself. Then, you will need to identify the trucking company. You can search for its name by plugging in part of the name on the truck, U.S. Department of Transportation number or the MC number of the company. The U.S. DOT number has to be displayed on the truck’s side.
You will then type information about the safety issue. The FMCSA will investigate your complaint.
What to do if You Have Been Involved in an 18-Wheeler Accident
If you were involved in a truck accident, you are likely scared and confused. You may not know what steps to take. However, the moments immediately after an accident can have a direct impact on your ability to financially recover for the losses you sustained. Print out this list of steps or try to remember them if you are ever involved in this type of situation.
Stop at the Accident Scene
Stop your vehicle at the accident scene. If its current position poses a safety risk, move it to the nearest safe location. Otherwise, leave it in the position where it was when the accident occurred. Stay at the scene of the accident until the authorities and medical help arrive.
Call 911
These accidents often result in serious injuries. Call 911 to report the accident and to request emergency medical assistance if you, the truck driver or any passengers were injured. Check all the vehicles involved and any pedestrians or other people who may have been injured.
Exchange Information
Exchange information with the other driver. Get the following information:
- The driver’s name, phone number and address
- CDL license number
- License plate number
- S. DOT number
- MC number
- VIN
- Insurance carrier and policy number
Document the Scene
If possible, try to document the scene of the accident. It may only take a few minutes or hours to clean up the accident scene, at which point the evidence will be gone. Use your cellphone to take pictures of the following:
- Damage to all vehicles
- Any other property damage
- The intersection or notable landmarks
- Any property damage in the roadway or debris such as large pieces of tire tread
- Skid marks
- The accident scene from different angles
- Your injuries
Also, take pictures of your injuries as they progress over time so that you can later show a claims adjuster or jury how the accident affected you. You may want to write down or make an audio recording of what you remember about the accident as soon as you are able to so that the information is recorded while your memory is fresh.
Depending on the laws of your state, you may also want to video the accident scene or record audio. These recordings can help your personal injury lawyer better demonstrate how the accident occurred and its aftermath well after the date of the accident.
If you are not able to do these things because of an injury, ask a passenger to do them for you.
Check for Witnesses
There may be objective, neutral people who may have seen the accident. Check the area for any witnesses and be sure the authorities talk to them. Ask witnesses for their names and contact information in case your personal injury lawyer needs to contact them in the future.
Be Careful What You Say
Avoid apologizing, saying “sorry” or making statements about how you think the car accident happened, especially if you think you contributed to it in any way. You do not know all of the factors that may have contributed to the accident, so it is important that you do not take responsibility for it. Avoid providing any recorded statement to the insurance company before you seek legal assistance.
Seek Medical Treatment
If you did not seek emergency medical treatment at the time of the accident but start experiencing symptoms after it, seek medical treatment. Mention to your medical provider that you were recently involved in a truck accident and explain your symptoms. Follow all of your doctor’s orders to preserve your claim.
Have a Truck Accident Lawyer Investigate Your Claim
Sometimes truck accident cases can be very complicated. You may have your claim denied by the insurance company or offered a lowball settlement offer. The insurance company is looking out for its own interests and will try to minimize the value of a claim as much as possible. A personal injury lawyer can help you with all aspects of your claim, including handling communications with the insurance company and negotiating for a fair settlement. He or she may also be able to get important evidence to help establish your claim, such as information stored in the truck’s black box or requiring the trucking company to keep the damaged property by sending spoliation of evidence demands. A personal injury lawyer can investigate the cause of your accident and determine your legal options.
[1] https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks
[2] https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks
[3] https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
[4] McCartt, A.T.; Hellinga L.A.; and Solomon, M.G. 2008. Work schedules of long-distance truck drivers before and after 2004 hours-of-service rule change. Traffic Injury Prevention 9:201-10.
[5] https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks
[6] https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks
[7] https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/large-trucks/fatalityfacts/large-trucks
[8] https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2016
