Drivers in Massachusetts should be aware that truck accidents are very much on the increase. A release of the latest statistics shows that highways in the state are more dangerous than ever. These new studies reveal that accidents and fatalities involving drunk, drowsy, and distracted truck drivers show no sign of abating.
Fatal crashes have increased in the past decade
Perhaps the first thing that drivers should be aware of is that the number of fatal truck accidents has been on the increase for a solid decade. The ten years between 2009 and 2019 saw a rise in crashes of historic proportions. In 2018 alone, 4,164 fatal crashes involved trucks.
But the next year gave rise to stats that were even more distressing. Some of the most significant truck crash stats for 2019 included:
There has been a five percent increase in the number of people seriously injured in truck crashes.
Nearly 69 percent of the people injured were occupants of other vehicles. Only 29 percent were occupants of the trucks that were involved in the accidents.
Stats show that the total number of large truck accidents was up by 7,000 compared to 2018.
What have been the main causes of truck accidents?
Several factors can be listed as significant causes of truck crashes. These include such common factors as distracted, drowsy, and intoxicated driving. Other factors, such as defective tires, have been shown to cause nearly a third of all large truck crashes.
It should also be noted that aggressive driving is a significant contributing factor to truck accidents. Tailgating, swerving, lane blocking, and brake-checking incidents have risen throughout the past decade. This makes highway safety a more pressing concern for drivers.
