Deadly accidents involving large buses and semi-tractor trailers are becoming more common around the country according to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The federal safety agency’s report reveals that 4,311 commercial trucks and buses were involved in fatal accidents in 2015, some of which took place in West Virginia. This figure represents an 8 percent year-over-year increase. The large truck involvement rate, which tracks how many accidents tractor-trailers are involved in for each 100 million miles traveled, also increased by 8 percent in 2015 according to the report.
The FMCSA figures are likely to further dampen the enthusiasm of road safety advocates. Traffic accident fatalities for all vehicle classes increased by 7 percent in 2015 after falling steadily for many years, and preliminary 2016 statistics suggest that the nation’s roads are becoming even more dangerous.
While the National Safety Council blamed increased traffic congestion for the surge in road deaths in 2015, the FMCSA report reveals that the number of commercial vehicles on the nation’s roads remained basically unchanged. According to the FMCSA, the number of miles covered by semi-tractor trailers increased by a scant 0.3 percent in 2015.
Experienced personal injury attorneys may understand the challenges faced by road users who have been injured in truck crashes. Truck accident victims often suffer catastrophic injuries that may require months of intensive medical treatment and years of grueling physical therapy, and the attorneys representing them may take great care when calculating damages to ensure that they seek enough to adequately compensate them for their long-term medical costs and lost income.
Source: National Public Radio, “2015 Traffic Fatalities Rose By Largest Percent In 50 Years, Safety Group Says,” Bill Chappell, Feb. 18, 2016