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Feds Probe Large Truck Accidents and Fatalities Decline

 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is hosting a webinar to discuss the substantial decline in large truck accidents and fatalities in 2009.  The agency’s Office of Analysis Research and Technology hosted a webinar this week to determine the reasons for this decline.  In 2009, there was a 20% decline in the number of large truck accident-related fatalities.

This is believed to be the largest decrease in accidents and fatalities since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began recording accident fatality data.  This was also the second consecutive year where there was a decline in truck accident fatalities.  There was a 12% decline in fatal truck accidents between 2007 and 2008.  The webinar included large truck and bus accident crash data from last year, and trend data over the past decade.  The webinar also specifically focused on the last two years, when there substantial decreases in fatal truck accidents.  The webinar focused on the reasons for the decline, and will compare the decrease in trucking fatalities with the decrease in passenger vehicle fatalities in 2009.Last year; there was an overall increase in the number of people killed in traffic accidents in the US.  Those numbers are at record lows too.

California truck accident lawyers have called for an investigation of the causes for the substantial decline, and analysis of all causal factors.  This will help identify and isolate those factors that prevented many fatal truck accidents over the past few years.  These factors can then be replicated to prevent more accident fatalities in the future too.

For years, truck accidents have been a major killer on American highways.  It’s not just that the number of accidents involving passenger vehicles and large commercial truck is so high.  It’s also the fact that any accident involving a passenger vehicle and a tractor-trailer or 18 wheeler tends to have a devastating impact.  Fatalities occur all too frequently in <strong>large truck accidents</strong>.  Survivors are often left with long-term injuries including spinal cord injury and brain injuries that can severely back their quality of life after the accident.

Besides, truck accidents have traditionally accounted for some of the highest shares of accident-related costs in the US.  These accidents typically have a catastrophic impact, leading to severe property damage, deaths and serious injuries.  A spinal cord injury, for instance, may not only mean extensive hospitalization and heavy medical bills for a victim, but could also mean long-term disability and loss of earning potential over the rest of the victim’s life.  These accidents cost the American economy hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

It’s very important that we understand that the reason for this decline in truck accident fatalities over the past couple of years, so we can continue to keep the momentum going.  Last year, there were 4,000 fatalities in truck accidents in the US.  Although that is a drop from previous years, that is still a lot of people being killed in truck accidents every year, a majority of which are preventable.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of truck accidents. Please visit our website at http://www.robertreeveslaw.com/. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us at contact@robertreeveslaw.com.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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