Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers: U.S. Trucking Industry
June 13, 2016After a four-year increase in fatal truck accidents, the United States trucking industry has seen a reduction in crash deaths involving tractor-trailers and other large trucks. According to a study conducted by the Department of Transportation (DOT), in 2014, the number of truck accident deaths was 3,903, which is a five percent decrease compared to the previous years.
This is good news for many reasons, one of which is that fewer people will be seriously injured or lose their lives if there are fewer accidents. In addition, this recent data will be beneficial to trucking groups who are fighting regulatory issues in Washington.
Trucking groups see these improvements as a promising trend towards the long-term that will lead to even fewer crashes as time goes on. Bill Graves, president and SEO of the American Trucking Association recognized that while the 2014 decline is significant, it is the long-term trend that is extremely promising. Since 2004, there has been a 39 percent reduction in crashes involving large trucks. Of course, there is more work to be done, but Graves said that professional drivers, safety directors, technicians, and members of the federal and state law enforcement should be proud of this figure.
Truck Crash Statistics at a Glance
- The year 2014 marked the fifth straight year that truck crash deaths remained below 4,000, down 25.4 percent from 2004, when there were 5,235 deaths.
- Between 1980 and 2006, there was an average of 5,292 fatal truck accidents. This average decreased to 3,968 between 2007 and 2014.
- Large trucks reached 310.7 million miles in 2008, which has dropped from between 267.6 million miles in 2011 to 279.1 million miles in 2014.
- Fatal truck crashes involving “combination trucks” also decreased in 2014.
The number of truck accident injuries and fatal wrecks will likely continue to decrease if more trucks are installed with new crash avoidance technology. In addition, lower speed limits and the installation of electronic devices that would limit a trucker’s ability to go faster than 65 miles per hour will also help to prevent future injuries and fatal crashes. The American Trucking Association (ATA) has been advocating for a national speed limit of 65 miles per hours for close to a decade in an effort to improve safety, according to ATA Executive Vice President of National Advocacy, Dave Osiecki.
Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Help Truck Accident Victims Secure the Maximum Compensation
Although these statistics are promising, truck accidents continue to occur often greatly impacting the life of its victims. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a tractor-trailer or other large truck, you may be eligible for compensation. Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton are experienced in all aspects of truck-related accidents and know how to secure the optimal compensation for injured clients. For a complementary consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to represent injured truck accident victims and their families throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood and Elkridge.
