Getting into a car crash can change your life instantly. That’s why it’s so important to learn more about the causes of crashes and how to avoid them.
As a driver of a passenger vehicle, it’s your right to be able to drive safely on the roads. You and other drivers all have the responsibility of following traffic laws and making sure that other vehicles, as well as your own, are being driven safely.
According to the 2017 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts, there were 45 fatal truck crashes, 822 truck crashes with injuries and 1,439 truck crashes with only property damage in 2017. In another summary, there were 94 commercial vehicle accidents resulting in fatalities and 1,877 commercial vehicle collisions resulting in injuries.
The majority of commercial vehicle accidents took place on the interstate, at 58.85 of all CMV crashes. Large truck crashes were 75% more likely to occur on an interstate than on a noninterstate.
What were some of the main causes of large truck crashes?
Statistics show that improper lane changes, failing to yield and following too closely are some of the main causes of collisions. In most reported cases of crashes, the driver of the truck was not intoxicated (95%).
Large truck crashes may occur because a driver hasn’t gotten enough sleep, tries to merge into a lane that is already occupied or because of other reasons. Following too closely is another issue because a large truck cannot slow down as quickly as others. That means that there is a higher chance of a collision when traffic is backed up if the driver doesn’t see traffic slowing down ahead.
As someone who has been involved in a large truck crash, you deserve support. Our website has more on the steps to take next.