10 Things You Should Know About Truck Accidents

1. Truck Wrecks Are on the Rise

Navigating a 20,000+-pound vehicle across busy roadways at highway speeds is not for the faint of heart, and even seasoned drivers aren't spared from the hundreds of thousands of truck accidents that happen across the country per year.

2020 alone saw 500,000 trucking accidents, with the number of trucking accident deaths jumping 52% since its lowest number in 2009. The trucking industry reported 28 deaths were 100,000 workers, making it the most lethal major industry that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports on.

2. Even When Truck Accidents Aren't Fatal, Injuries Can Be Serious

While it's true that having thousands of pounds of steel around you makes you a little safer in an accident than if you were in a passenger vehicle, that doesn't mean that truckers walk away from accidents unscathed. About 130,000 people per year receive serious injuries including:

• Back and neck injuries
• Broken bones
• Head trauma
• Internal bleeding
• Spinal cord injuries
• Whiplash injuries

3. 4% of Fatal Truck Collisions Involve Hazardous Cargo

Truck accidents are always dangerous, but the trucks that carry hazardous cargo like flammable liquids and other materials that can ignite, burn, and explode easily are at an especially high risk for death and serious injury should an accident occur.

Although only 4 percent of accidents currently involve hazardous cargo, it's a good reminder to all vehicles that even if a truck doesn't have a hazardous materials sign on the outside, you can never be sure that what it's carrying isn't dangerous.

4. Drugs and Alcohol are Not the Top Causes of Truck Crashes

It's a common misconception that the leading cause of truck crashes are attributed to being under the influence of drugs and alcohol, but in actuality, illegal substances were found to only cause 0.4% of crashes and alcohol 0.3% according to a Large Truck Crash Causation Study conducted by the FMCSA.

The actual causes of most truck crashes are:

• Mechanical issues – 30% from brakes and tires
• New/unfamiliar routes
• Driver fatigue

5. Truck Weight, Speed, and Stopping Distance are Often Underestimated

Understanding how stopping distance, weight, and speed work together is typically part of Trucking 101 – the more your vehicle weighs and the faster you're going, the more braking distance you're going to need before the vehicle can come to a full stop, essentially.

With trucking demands up during the pandemic, more and more trucks are operating at max load capacity. But what many truckers don't consider is that an increase in cargo means more stopping distance is required – maybe more than they're used to under normal conditions.

6. Up to 19% of Truck Wrecks Take Place Between Noon and 3 P.M.

Hoping to beat rush hour traffic by getting on the road early? A lot of vehicles have the same idea, reflected in the fact that up to 19% of big truck wrecks happen between 12-3 P.M. As crashes have been studied from 2014 to 2017, over 700 crashes have been reported during this timeframe.

7. Thursday is the Most Dangerous Day of the Week for Accidents

Also hoping to beat weekend traffic by starting your long haul on Thursday? Several years of studies show that Thursday is the single most dangerous day of the week for truck accidents, with 18% of accidents and 745 deaths happening on Thursday alone.

Monday and Wednesday come in second place with more than half of truck accidents and 1,893 deaths, with Tuesday and Friday accounting for 34% of crashes and 1,373 deaths.

Surprisingly, this makes Saturday and Sunday the safest days of the week for truck drivers, with only 663 truck-related deaths.

8. 74% of Fatal Truck Accidents Involved Tractor-Trailers

Not all trucks are created equally, and this is especially true when accidents happen. The heavier weights and longer stopping distances of tractor-trailers are the top reasons behind the higher percentage of accidents involving these vehicles, especially since a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds.

A tractor-trailer at full cargo requires about 20-40% more braking distance than other vehicles – the length of about two football fields.

9. Accidents Caused by Mechanical Failure Can Be Prevented

With braking distance playing a large factor in trucking accidents and brake failure attributing to 30% of accidents per year, it's imperative to keep your thumb on the pulse of how your brake, engine, powertrain, and other systems are doing. The importance of pre-and post-trip inspections is always discussed in company meetings and safety articles, but it's easy to just jump in the truck and go when you've got cargo to haul and a delivery deadline to meet.

From malfunctioning truck lights to worn brakes, early detection and replacement mean more accident-free miles for drivers and less risk of becoming one of the truck accident statistics reported each year. The time it takes to run through a checklist on your vehicle before and after your trip is well worth it to get home safely.

10. Trucker Wellness is Key to Accident Prevention

In addition to keeping your vehicle well, truck accidents can also be prevented by drivers keeping themselves well. With driver fatigue being a major contributor to annual truck accidents, it's critical for drivers to:

• Rest when needed
• Get out of the truck and walk during break times
• Eat well
• Hydrate (energy drinks and coffee don't count!)
• Report uncomfortable in-cab seats, bedding, temperature, and other factors that distract them from driving at peak performance
• Keep high-visibility vests , head lamps , emergency triangle kits , and other safety gear and tools in the truck at all times should they need to pull over at nighttime or in inclement weather

Stay safe out there, truckers – we're here with you every step of the way.