The number of injuries from trucking crashes in alarming, and unfortunately on the rise. From 2009 to 2016, trucking crash injuries increased from 74,000 to 145,000 – an overwhelming 96 percent increase.
“Considering the pressure put on drivers by trucking companies, shippers and brokers, the substantial increase in trucking crash injuries is not all the surprising,” said Brett Emison, partner at Langdon & Emison.
In 2016 alone, more than 4,300 people were killed in trucking accidents. The vast difference in the size and weight of a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle contributes largely to the disproportionate number of injuries and deaths from tractor-trailer crashes.
According to Emison, driver fatigue is a common cause of commercial truck crashes, and many factors influence driver fatigue, including the presence of sleep apnea, a condition that pauses breathing and prevents restful sleep.
Negligent hiring practices of trucking companies is also a common issue. Often, trucking companies fail to carry out thorough investigations of drivers and provide adequate training. After a trucking crash, it is critical to contact a law firm to ensure a thorough investigation of the trucking company’s hiring practices and driver’s competence.
Emison says there are steps passenger vehicle drivers can take to prevent trucking crashes:
- Drive with caution when approaching semi-trucks on the roadway. It is can be difficult for trucks to stop or swerve to avoid a collision because they are not as agile as passenger vehicles and can weigh up to 80,000 pounds
- Avoid “tailgating” behind a tractor-trailer.
- Give yourself plenty of time to stop your vehicle if you encounter an emergency or traffic flow disruption. The stopping time and distance for a semi-truck is much greater than that of a passenger vehicle. Stopping distances increase even more when a tractor-trailer is carrying a heavy load or road conditions are icy or wet.
Determining the cause of a trucking crash requires an experienced team of investigators. Langdon & Emison represents trucking accident victims and their families in cases nationwide. Our firm works with a team of experts to determine what caused or contributed to the crash.
To contact our firm, click on the chat button or contact us at 866-931-2115. There is no cost to talk to our attorneys and we do not charge to review your case. If we determine there is a case, you pay no fees until we obtain compensation for you.
About Langdon & Emison
Langdon & Emison is recognized as one of the nation’s leading personal injury law firms, having taken on some of the world’s largest corporations on behalf of injured people and their families in courtrooms from coast to coast. Langdon & Emison represented the plaintiff in Baker vs. General Motors, a landmark lawsuit where for the first time evidence was admitted into court proving an automaker’s deliberate choice of profits over human safety. With offices in Lexington and Kansas City (Mo.), St. Louis, and Chicago, the firm has earned a national reputation as a leader in auto defect cases, trucking accidents and a full array of personal injury litigation.