Pennsylvania residents depend on large trucks to transport food and goods for the general public. Unfortunately, this type of interstate commerce leads to thousands of truck accidents each year. In order to better understand the causes of these crashes, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced plans to conduct a new large truck crash causation study.
The FMCSA last conducted a study on truck wrecks 15 years ago. At that time, texting, onboard navigation systems and other electronic distractions weren’t an issue. However, since they are now a major concern, the agency is seeking ways to best identify their impact on accidents in the new study. To accomplish this, suggestions from the public will be accepted for 60 days after the study proposal is published in the Federal Register.
The previous study, which was conducted between 2001 and 2003 and released in 2006, found that most accidents caused by large trucks were the result of driver-related errors. The FMCSA reports that fatal large truck accidents have steadily risen over the last decade, increasing 52.6% between 2009 and 2018. The agency also reports that deadly crashes increased 5.7% between 2016 and 2018.
Victims of large truck accidents often suffer serious head trauma and other catastrophic injuries that require long-term medical care. In order to recover the costs of medical bills, lost wages and other damages, it may be necessary to take legal action against the truck driver who caused the crash. An attorney might be able to gather evidence proving the truck driver is liable for the crash and file a personal injury lawsuit seeking compensation on behalf of the victim, which could lead to a financial settlement.