When we hear that there’s been a serious truck accident in Kentucky – or anywhere, really – what’s the first thing we usually think of? A tractor-trailer was involved.
But the truth is, there are lots of types of trucks involved in accidents. Two types that contribute to a steady stream of truck crashes around the United States are ready-mix concrete delivery trucks and dump trucks.
Consider these numbers. In 2016, the latest year for which numbers are available, the number of accidents involving dump trucks that were serious enough for the truck to be towed away rose by 9 percent to total 8,206 in all, according to statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Among the accidents, injuries totaled 5,483, an increase of 2.7 percent. Among them, there were 367 fatalities.
“Towaway” accidents, as they are called, increased to 838 that year, an increase of 9.6 percent, and injuries went up 3.8 percent, according to the FMCSA. There also were 33 fatal accidents.
These statistics are part of the alarming note that there is an uptick in the number of fatal accidents among trucks of all types. In the first decade of the 21st century, the number of accidents fell, partially thanks to the efforts of insurance companies and federal regulators and their safety campaigns.
But in this decade, the numbers have grown, according to the Engineering News-Record. The reason likely can be attributed, in part, to the increase of distracted driving.
What all of this means is that we must continue to be cautious on the road around large trucks – and not just tractor-trailers. Drivers of all trucks can be just as distracted as drivers of small vehicles, they can travel too fast and drivers can become tired.
If you are injured in an accident with a dump truck, concrete truck or a truck of any type, an attorney can work with you to recoup your medical bills and other financial losses.
