Though car accidents are highlighted frequently in the media, Ohio residents may be surprised to hear that, on average, there are 11 truck accidents across the country in a single day. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, almost 4,000 people die annually in fatal truck accidents. In addition to this, more than 100,000 people sustain injuries in those incidents. Unfortunately, the number has only been increasing since 2009 as an improving economy sends more trucks shipping goods from one state to another.
CNBC interviewed various parties, including regulators, lawyers, victims and even people from the trucking industry to determine why there were so many truck accidents. The answers varied from driver fatigue, a common problem in truck drivers who face increasing pressure to drive faster and make deliveries quicker, to companies who do not screen properly for drivers. In addition to this, some even blamed the government for failing to implement laws forcing trucking companies to adopt new safety technologies. However, according to some, trucking is the backbone of the economy right now, and with a struggling economy, not many people will rush to place restrictions on the trucking industry and harm their ability to do business.
This should not discourage Ohio accident victims from holding both a careless truck driver and trucking company accountable for causing a fatal or serious accident. It is the company’s responsibility to ensure drivers follow a regulated timetable and hire responsible vehicle operators and where they fail to do so, they can be held financially accountable to reduce some of the financial burden accident victims and their loved ones face due to a truck accident.
Source: cnbc.com, “Truck accidents surge: why no national outcry?,” Eamon Javers, July 30, 2014
