Tennessee Large Truck Crash Facts
At Terry, Terry & Stapleton, our truck accident attorneys make it their business to stay informed about the dangers of the trucking industry. The information below has been collected by researchers with the U.S. Department of Transportation. Information about victims of large truck crashes highlights the disadvantage faced by the occupants of the smaller vehicles in these collisions.
- Of the 4,229 people who died in truck crashes in 2008, 74 percent were occupants of other, non-truck vehicles. Another 10 percent of victims were pedestrians or bicyclists.
- Among the people killed in large truck accidents in 2008, only 10 percent were drivers or passengers of the large trucks involved in the accidents.
- Of the people injured in 2008 in crashes involving large trucks, 71 percent were occupants of another vehicle, 3 percent were pedestrians or bicyclists, and 26 percent were occupants of a large truck.
- In Tennessee, 92 large trucks were involved in fatal accidents in 2008.
- Nationally, a total of 90,000 people were injured in truck accidents in 2008.
- One out of nine traffic fatalities in 2008 resulted from a collision involving a large truck. A total of 4,229 people died in these crashes.
- Federal regulators have not yet released the number of large trucks registered in the United States in 2008, but the number has been increasing steadily, reaching more than 9 million in 2007.
- Large trucks cover millions of miles annually, increasing their chances of being involved in an accident. In 2008, large trucks in the United States drove a combined 226,963 million miles.
- In 2008, most of the fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred in rural areas (64%), during the daytime (67%), and on weekdays (80%).
- During the week, 74 percent of the crashes occurred during the daytime hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. On weekends, 63 percent occurred at night from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Nearly one-fourth (24%) of all large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2008 had at least one prior speeding conviction, compared to 18 percent of passenger car drivers involved in fatal crashes.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a large truck accident, you likely face expensive medical bills and other expenses associated with the accident, such as lost income. But as a truck accident victim, you have important legal rights and may be entitled to seek financial compensation. To succeed in this type of claim, you need a qualified attorney that you can trust to fight for your interests.
The lawyers at Terry, Terry & Stapleton have almost 50 years of experience successfully representing injured people in Tennessee. Don’t delay. Contact the Morristown, Tennessee truck accident lawyers today. Call Terry, Terry & Stapleton at 1-800-518-3779 or use our online contact form to arrange a free consultation. Our proximity to Interstates I-81, I-40, I-26, I-75 and Highways 11-E and 25-E centers Terry, Terry & Stapleton at or near some of the major thoroughfares in Tennessee for tractor trailer accidents. We represent clients throughout Tennessee, including Rogersville, Newport, Morristown, Knoxville, Kingsport, Johnson City, Jefferson City and Greeneville.
Sources:
NHTSA – Traffic Safety Facts, Overview – 2008
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811162.PDF
NHTSA – Traffic Safety Facts, Large Trucks, - 2008
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811158.PDF
U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “The Large Truck Causation Study,” July 2007
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/analysis/FMCSA-RRA-07-017.htm
U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration – State Profile Reports, 2008
http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/CrashProfile/pdfCompleteHistory.ASP?state=TN&rt=1
