Trucking Fatalities Reach a 30-Year Peak

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Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers discuss trucking fatalities.According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of fatal truck accidents continues to rise, despite advances in safety technology. In fact, trucker deaths are at the highest level in over 30 years. The American Trucking Association (ATA) responded to this data by saying that the statistics do not accurately reflect road safety because it does not consider the number of vehicles that were on the roads in 2018, and how many miles motorists traveled. Either way, truck accidents cause severe injuries and extensive property damage due to the massive size and weight of the average truck. Continuing to focus on effective safety regulations will make trucking safer for truck drivers and other motorists on the road.

The NHTSA reported that 885 truckers died in truck accidents in 2018, which was an increase of close to one percent from 2017. The number of fatalities has not been that high since 1988, when 911 truckers were killed in truck accidents. When it comes to overall deaths, the NHTSA found that 4,678 motorists were fatally injured in 2018, which was a one percent increase from the 4,369 motorists that died in 2017. The agency also reported that fatal truck injuries increased for the fourth year in a row, and there was a 13 percent increase last year in pedestrian fatalities involving large trucks. Based on these statistics, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) stated that they need to continue to enforce proven safety rules in order to keep truck drivers and other motorists safe.

ATA Weighs in on NHTSA Data

According to the ATA, the data released by NHTSA is not incorrect, but it does not paint an accurate picture of the trucking industry’s safety profile because it does not consider the number of vehicles that were on the roads and highways across the country in 2018. In 2006, the federal government launched a Large Truck Crash Causation Study, which found that other motorists caused the majority of accidents involving large trucks. The ATA would like to see the government launch an updated version of this study. A spokesman for the ATA said that safety is the agency’s top priority and they are fully committed to investing close to $10 billion per year toward technology and training and promoting safe responsible behavior to significantly reduce highway fatalities.

According to the executive director for the Center for Auto Safety, it is encouraging that the overall traffic crash figures for public roads has gone down, however the increase in trucker deaths, pedestrian deaths, and cyclist fatalities has us concerned. Safety officials should conduct additional studies into why these deaths continue to occur.

Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Seek Compensation for Truck Accident Victims

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a truck accident, do not hesitate to contact the highly skilled Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. These devastating accidents can cause catastrophic injuries and property damage, and our dedicated and experienced legal team will secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve for the injuries you sustained. We will not stop fighting for you until justice has been served. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, we represent clients throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.