The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released the 2010 statistics for semi-truck, tractor-trailer, and commercial vehicle accidents. The nationwide statistics reveal that over 500,000 of these trucks were involved in accidents. This includes the 100,000 people who suffered from serious personal injuries, and more than 5,000 deaths as a result of these tractor-trailer accidents.
We have seen countless accidents caused by truck drivers on I-75, I-475, I-16 and other major roads that surround the area.
Why so many accidents?
The tractor-trailer industry is a vital component to our country’s economy, producing approximately 255.2 billion dollars per year. To produce this vast amount of money for our country, approximately 3.3 million truck drivers drive our nations roads—that adds an increased risk to car drivers, motorcyclists, buses, and pedestrians.
Truck drivers often drive very long distances during their routes. Some big-rig drivers suffer from overloaded schedules (many miles per route and extended work hours), fatigue, and drug issues. Any of these reasons can result in dramatic, horrifying tractor-trailer accidents. If injured in a tractor-trailer accident, you should immediately call our Macon personal injury attorneys.
We suggest a few ways that serve as precautionary measures when driving near tractor-trailers on highways and roads:
- You should understand that big-rigs are less maneuverable, and take a longer amount of time to stop, slow down, and accelerate. Consider that, on average, most semi trucks weigh between 12,100 to 80,000 pounds—that’s approximately 40 times more weight than a small car!
- Pay acute attention when passing and driving behind a tractor-trailer—keep a safe distance between you and the truck, pass a truck quickly and safely, and do not drive alongside them for extended periods of time (they have a wide range of blind spots, too).
- Use extra precautionary measures when the weather is harsh (thick fog, snow, rain, ice, smoke), and when driving at night. These instances result in adverse driving conditions that can make it harder for big-rigs to slow down, stop, or accelerate.
If you or someone you know suffers personal injuries as a result of a tractor-trailer incident, we encourage you to call Link & Smith, P.C at your earliest convenience. Do not try to handle your case without the help of an experienced personal injury attorney.
We strive to obtain the best compensation possible to compensate for your losses. We work hard and tirelessly so you don’t have to. Call us today!