In Connecticut, trucks are a common sight on the roads. While drivers of passenger vehicles, pedestrians and others on the road are aware of these large trucks and might have a certain amount of trepidation when sharing the road with them, no one is expecting to be in a truck crash. However, they happen quite frequently and the injuries that people suffer can be far worse when the crash is with a large truck as opposed to a smaller vehicle. There are myriad factors that play a role in the severity of the injuries suffered in a crash. Being aware of the types of injuries that are specific for a truck accident is imperative as this can be crucial when considering how to proceed in the aftermath.
Understanding the statistics for truck accidents and common injuries
Statistics for recent years show that truck accidents with injuries and fatalities have been on the rise. For example, from 2018 to 2019, there was a spike in fatal truck accidents of 2%. In the decade from 2010 to 2019, there was a 43% increase. When going deeper into the statistics, for every 100 million miles these large trucks traveled, there was a 5% increase in truck collisions from 2018 to 2019. The rise was 37% from 2010. Overall, trucks were involved in 10% of all fatal crashes while being only 4% of the registered vehicles in the U.S. and accounting for 7% of the miles traveled.
In 2019, there were 118,000 accidents in which a large truck was involved and caused injuries. From 2016, there were 16% more fatal accidents. More than 5,000 people lost their lives in truck accidents in 2019. During 2020 and 2021, legislators and law enforcement have stated that there was a troubling number of drivers who were flouting the speed limit, driving while under the influence and driving distracted because of less traffic being on the road. This also led to a rise in auto fatalities even with fewer people on the road because of the ongoing crisis.
Common injuries for any auto accident include head injuries, back injuries, internal injuries, broken bones and emotional problems in the aftermath. With a truck, any collision is exacerbated because of their size and the speeds at which they travel. For example, if the person in a smaller vehicle is in a crash with a truck, their entire body can jerk forward and back and cause whiplash. This can be debilitating and lead to long-term problems with medical costs and being unable to work. Any back or head injury can cause extensive issues. Brain trauma and spinal cord damage are quite common with a truck accident. The impact can break bones or even cause a person to lose their limbs. In some cases, the person might not believe he or she was injured until feeling slightly out of sorts later and finally realizing there might be internal injuries.
For truck accidents, specific investigatory strategies are key
Truckers are prone to certain challenges that most drivers are not. Since they are on the road for long stretches and have time constraints, they might go beyond their limits and drive while drowsy. Because they are so accustomed to driving, they might believe they can drive while distracted and be safe while doing so. Speeding, recklessness, driving under the influence and violating the rules for truckers are also catalysts for truck accidents. For people who have been hurt in a truck crash and have the above-mentioned injuries or any other problems, it is beneficial to have assistance from the start. Having advice from those well-versed in truck crashes is a useful decision from the beginning.
