In Virginia and elsewhere, it is obvious that commercial truck serve a major role in commerce. In a time where more people are purchasing items online instead of the store, large trucks are used to transport packages across the state or several states to their final destination. Because of this, it is rare for motorists to travel on the roadways without sharing the road with a semi-truck or tractor-trailer truck. While this seems commonplace, this also means the risks associated with these trucks are also commonplace. In other words, there are always constant risks of being involved in an accident with a large truck.
How common are truck accidents? The simplest way to put this is that the rate of truck crashes is not going down. With the number of trucks increasing year by year, the U.S. has also experienced an increase in truck collisions. Just looking at the numbers from 2015 to 2016, the number of trucks of the road increased from 11.2 million to 11.5 million.
An with the increase in the number of trucks on the roads, the number of fatal crashes involving trucks also increased. In 2015, there were a total of 4,074 fatal crashes involving trucks. This number increased to 4,213 in 2016. Additionally, the number of fatalities increased as well. It rose from 4,094 in 2015 to 4,317 in 2016. Due to the large size and weight of trucks, it is more common to have a fatal crash with a commercial truck when compared to other automobiles.
A truck accident is one of the worst accidents that can occur on the highways. These massive vehicles can cause much destruction, resulting in a major accident site involving injuries, damages and even death. Because the consequences can be tragic, it is important to consider your rights following a truck crash. A personal injury action or a wrongful death claim could help victims and their loved ones recover compensation for the negligence or recklessness of a truck driver or trucking company.
