Tractor Trailer Accidents Increase

tractor trailer accidents

With Tractor trailer accidents and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) fatalities on the rise, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded Florida nearly $20 million to help improve large truck safety on the state’s highways. The money is part of $450 million in grants to states to reduce tractor trailer accidents and CMV-involved crashes and injuries.

To reduce tractor trailer accidents the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grant program provides funding to state and local law enforcement and other government agencies “for truck and bus safety inspections, investigations of motor carriers in response to safety concerns, and audits of new trucking and bus companies to reinforce the importance of responsible operation and ensure the safe movement of goods and passengers in the United States economy.”

“FMCSA’s core mission is safety, and our work supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s comprehensive National Roadway Safety Strategy working towards zero fatalities on our roadways,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “MCSAP grant funding is an important tool to help reduce large truck crashes by supporting critical CMV safety programs in every state.” 

Florida is among the top ten states with the highest number of large truck fatalities. There are more than 250 large truck accident fatalities in Florida every year.

Tractor Trailer Accidents and Injuries

Tractor trailer accidents accounted for more than half of the large truck crashes in the country last year. More than a third of large truck driver fatalities were caused by driver error, compared to over half of the fatalities in passenger car accidents. The most common driver error that caused accidents was speeding, followed by driver distraction and or inattention. The second most common cause of passenger car accident fatalities is impaired driving, which includes alcohol, drugs, fatigue, and illness.

Most of those killed in large truck accidents are passengers in passenger vehicles, followed by truck occupants and motorcycle riders. According to statistics on large truck accidents, the majority of fatalities occur on state and municipal highways rather than interstates, and the majority occur during the day.

To recover damages in a tractor trailer accident lawsuit, you may have to file a claim against the negligent truck drivers and the companies who hire them. A commercial vehicle driver is held to a higher legal standard of care than other drivers. Negligence on the part of a truck driver might result in devastating injuries. If you have been hurt in a truck accident, talk to an Orlando truck accident attorney at the Martinez Manglardi personal injury law firm. Call 866-730-3508 for a free consultation. Convenient locations throughout Central Florida.

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