Collisions that involve large semi-trucks often result in significantly more extensive damage than the average car accident. The sheer size of trucks in comparison to a standard car (or bike or motorcycle) is considerably larger, leaving the passengers of these cars susceptible to serious injury if an impact does occur.
The roads of Texas are home to many 18-wheelers every day, as the state is a hub for transportation and commerce. The higher volume of semi-trucks and far stretches of major roads in Texas could be contributing factors in the state’s high numbers of collisions. Below, we present and compare nationwide truck accident statistics with the numbers from the state of Texas.
Truck Accidents Throughout the United States
According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there were 4,136 truck accident deaths in 2018. Of those 4,136 victims, “67 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 15 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists.”
The year before there were 4,237 fatal truck accidents in the United States, as reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). That figure equates to 13 fatal truck accidents per every million people. Eighty-two percent of the people who were killed in those collisions were people in vehicles other than the semi-truck that was involved.
The FMCSA data presents truck accident statistics by state, exhibiting how Texas compares to the rest of the country.
Truck Accidents in Texas
When compared to the nationwide statistics, Texans experience significantly more truck accidents than the residents of other states.
The state of Texas ranked first in the number of fatal truck accident cases in 2017, accounting for 556 of the 4,237 collisions that occurred in the country that year. As a result of those 556 truck accidents, 649 people were killed. In comparison, the state with the second-highest number of fatal truck accidents (California) saw 320 collisions and 361 resulting deaths in 2017. This information was presented by the FMCSA.
The Dallas injury lawyers at Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers help the victims of truck accidents recover the compensation they deserve. If you were injured in a collision with an 18-wheeler, contact us to discuss your case.
To schedule a free consultation with our attorneys, complete our contact form or call (214) 739-0100.