The number of deaths and injuries in accidents involving the nation’s largest trucking carriers has remained mostly steady in recent years, despite fewer miles traveled by the trucks, according to statistics kept by the federal government.
Trucking companies are required to report their accidents to the government. Data for the two-year period ending Oct. 18, 2012 indicates many of the most well-known trucking companies had fewer drivers and fewer miles traveled in 2011 and 2012 than in 2009 and 2010. But that did not decrease the number of accidents and deaths, in many cases.
UPS trucks were involved in 1,448 crashes in the last two years, which resulted in 541 injuries and 39 deaths. Injuries and deaths were up from the previous two-year period, while the total number of crashes actually dropped.
The number of deaths in crashes involving Averitt Express trucks increased more than 150 percent, from eight to 22. Swift Transportation managed to cut its number of accidents and injuries, but deaths jumped up by five.
Other companies, like J.B. Hunt, decreased their numbers in all categories.
In addition to the above links, The Trucking Attorneys also offers updated statistics on Con-way, DHL Express, Werner Enterprises, FedEx and U.S. Xpress.
Just a Small Fraction
The death toll associated with these companies, however, represents a tiny fraction of the 3,000-plus people killed in accidents involving large trucks each year.
Crashes involving large trucks killed 3,675 people in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, marking an 8.7 percent increase over 2009. The bulk of the deaths—2,790—were occupants of another vehicle besides the truck.
Truck accident-related deaths represented more than 11 percent of the nation’s overall accident facilities in 2010. Despite the increase in truck crash deaths, overall accident deaths in the U.S. fell over the same period. If other drivers are driving more safely, why aren’t truck drivers?
Trucking Accidents Are Our Specialty
The Trucking Attorneys know trucking accidents and the laws surrounding them. A crash involving a truck owned and operated by a private carrier is much different from a crash involving independent motorists and their vehicles. Trucking accidents make up about 75 percent of our caseload.
If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident—or if a carrier has injured or killed someone you love—contact us immediately to speak with one of our experienced trucking attorneys.