Risk of fatal truck crashes increases under these 4 circumstances

Any motor vehicle accident has the potential to cause catastrophic, fatal injuries. However, truck accidents in particular are known to cause some of the most devastating damages for victims due to the size and weight of commercial-sized vehicles.

The number of commercial trucks registered in the U.S. is at an all-time high, meaning it is more likely that you will be sharing the road with a commercial truck. With this in mind, understand that there are conditions under which you could be at a higher risk of being involved in a fatal crash with a commercial truck. We examine some of these conditions below.

According to statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, fatal accidents involving large trucks occur most often under these conditions.

1. Weekdays: On any given weekday, there are more fatal accidents than there are on either Saturdays or Sundays.
2. Daytime: Most fatal accidents occur between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The hours between noon and 3 p.m. are particularly deadly.
3. Rural roadways: About 57% of fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred on rural roads, and an additional 13% of such crashes occurred on rural interstate highways – making a total of 70% of fatal crashes occurring outside of urban areas.
4. Caused by trucker striking other vehicle: Most fatal crashes occur as a result of a large truck hitting a passenger vehicle, not the other way around.

If you are driving on a rural road during the afternoon on a weekday, you could be at an increased risk of being involved in a serious accident with a large truck.

However, fatal truck accidents can happen under any condition, so it’s always important to stay extra alert when driving with large trucks on the road. The aftermath of such accidents can be catastrophic.

It is equally crucial for truckers and trucking companies to act responsibly and safely when it comes to operating these massive vehicles. Should they fail to do so, then victims of these devastating crashes and their families can file a negligence or wrongful death lawsuit against them to hold them accountable.