Large truck accidents can pose a serious risk to other drivers and passengers on Pennsylvania roads. Statistics indicate that the number of serious motor vehicle accidents involving concrete delivery trucks and dump trucks continues to climb. Even though insurance premiums for these types of trucks in a fleet have also escalated, the problem poses a significant risk to others on the road, especially when poor driving habits or other driver negligence is to blame. Various safety regulators have tried to address the issue by introducing technologies to measure roadway incidents and cut back on driver fatigue.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) noted that dump truck accidents that caused damage significant enough to require towing rose by 9 percent in 2016, reaching a total of 8,206. The number of dump truck crashes overall that involved injuries rose 2.7 percent, reaching 5,483 in the same year. In addition, accidents requiring towing that involved ready-mix concrete delivery trucks also went up 9.6 percent, reaching 838, while injury crashes rose by 3.8 percent. There were 38 fatal crashes in 2016 involving concrete delivery trucks, an increase of 5 over the previous year.
One positive note was the decline in fatal dump truck crashes, which fell from 369 in 2015 to 367 in 2016; although, the decline may be so small as to be generally insignificant. Nevertheless, these disturbing statistics reflect an overall upward trend in commercial truck accidents. While large truck crashes declined after 2000, recent years have seen increased accidents involving many types of vehicles.
Trucking crashes can lead to catastrophic injuries and permanent disabilities, and they are often caused because of dangerous or negligent driving. A personal injury lawyer can help someone who has been injured by a negligent trucker seek compensation for their damages.