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According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 42,514 people were killed in traffic crashes in 2022. Although many of those crashes involved vehicles other than trucks, the facts are that non-commercial and commercial trucks over 10,000 pounds were involved in accidents that killed 5,936 people. That is approximately 14 percent of all fatal accidents. In Arkansas in 2020, there were 847 fatal crashes with 9.9 percent of them involving a large truck.
Data used for this report was taken from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Institute for Safer Trucking (IST), the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the American Trucking Association (ATA), the Federal Highway Administration, Insurance Information Institute (III), and the National Safety Council (NSC).
In 2022, there were over half a million medium and heavy truck accidents nationwide, which resulted in 5,837 fatalities. According to the NHTSA, a medium truck weighs between 10,000 and 26,000 lbs, and a heavy truck weighs more than 26,000 lbs.
That figure has risen steadily since 2020 when 415,444 crashes resulted in 4,821 deaths. That year, there were 101,000 injury-producing 101,000 truck accidents, which rose to over 160,000 reported injuries in 2022.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), in 2021, 5,700 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes nationally, an 18 percent increase from 2020 and a 49 percent increase in the last decade.
Seventy-two percent of those who died in a large-truck were in other vehicles. This is followed by the death of truck occupants at 17 percent and non-occupants, such as pedestrians and bicyclists at 11 percent.
A fully loaded large truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and has limited maneuverability. Most truck operators are highly trained and drive safely; however, one mistake can result in a severe accident.
Semi-trailer trucks are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than other types of trucks. Semis were implicated in 53 percent of all fatal wrecks involving large trucks nationwide, including Arkansas, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (FMCSA)
In Arkansas and other states, fatal truck crashes tend to be more common in high-risk rural locales. Such locations were the site of 55 percent of fatal truck accidents compared to just 45 percent in urban areas. Most rural truck crashes are due to road conditions, different rules and regulations in each state/area, and the complexity of how rural roads are grided out.
Arkansas truck accidents make up only a small percentage of the total number of traffic accidents in the state. However, they comprise a much larger portion of those accidents resulting in serious or fatal injuries.
In Arkansas and other states, 2020 statistics also show that 7.3 percent of fatal truck crashes resulted from speeding. Followed closely by impaired and inattentive truckers. Those conditions were the second leading driver-related cause of fatal large truck accidents. Behaviors involved included DWU/DUI, distracted driving, eating behind the wheel, illness, and driving while fatigued.
Roughly seven percent of large truck wrecks involved driver inebriation or drunk driving. In 2020, 3.9 percent (driver inebriation) and 2.8 percent (DWI/DUI) of large truck drivers who were in an accident had a blood alcohol content of 0.01 percent and 0.08 percent or higher.
While poor weather can lead to accidents, it is not the most common condition during which accidents occur.
Bad weather can also be a factor in large truck crashes. Low visibility due to snow, ice, fog, and dust affects vehicle control. Thirteen percent of large truck crashes involved bad weather conditions.
Dry, daylight weather crashes are also all too frequent. At 79.6 percent and 61.3 percent, the majority of large truck crashes and the majority of fatal truck crashes happen during daylight hours, respectively.
Even in clear conditions, crashes resulting in only property damage ranked at 72.5 percent, while during cloudy weather, the figure reported was 14.5 percent.
The number of traffic fatalities has been increasing in Arkansas and nationwide since 2019. That year, truck Arkansas saw 505 traffic fatalities, compared to 643 deaths in 2022. This is a 27 percent increase. Fatalities per vehicle miles traveled increased even more, by 32 percent from 2019 to 2022.
Truck accident fatalities nationwide followed that trend. In 2021 5,788 individuals perished in truck collisions, a significant hike from the 4,945 who died in 2020.
More often than not, passenger vehicle occupants are killed if involved in truck collisions. In 2021, 72 percent of people in passenger vehicles involved in a truck crash lost their lives. This is followed by the death of truck occupants at 17 percent and non-occupants, such as pedestrians and bicyclists at 11 percent.
Intersections are particularly dangerous for truck accident victims. In 2020, 21 percent of fatal truck wrecks happened in an intersection (935 wrecks), with 5.6 percent happening in intersection-related crashes (274 crashes).
The average age of those perishing in a truck crash in 2021 was 43.9 for males and 43.4 years for females. The majority of those who died were male (3,610), but a significant number of females also died (1,350). The most common vehicles involved in accidents with large trucks are passenger cars. Large truck accidents involving passenger vehicles represented 21.5 percent of such crashes, while light trucks were involved in 21.2 percent of collisions.
There are various factors involved in determining a truck accident settlement. The following factors are included:
When you have been involved in a truck accident, the scene of the accident tells a story, but it is not the only story. Multiple people could potentially have caused an accident — and therefore be found liable for any resulting injuries.The case will also turn on the driver’s action, what trucking companies are involved, who owns the vehicle, who owns the trailer, and other entities, such as the person or persons who maintained the truck.
A trucking company can be held responsible for losses in a trucking accident under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior (Latin: “that the master must answer”), or the employer is responsible for the actions of its employees performed during their employment. To do so, the plaintiff must prove there is an employment/contractual relationship between the trucker and the company. It is important to note that in Arkansas, liability for a truck accident frequently falls on independent contractor drivers.
Some drivers use 1099s IRS forms to report non-employment income. These truckers are classified as independent contractors. Independent contractors do not derive the benefit of an employer’s insurance or their company’s legal protection. In situations like this, a lawsuit must be filed against the trucker to recoup losses.
Additionally, depending on the circumstances of the Arkansas truck accident, you may be able to hold government agencies, other drivers, or construction crews partially liable for your injuries and losses.
Municipalities and other entities responsible for building and maintaining roads may be responsible if poor or faulty road conditions can be proven to have caused the accident.
The truck driver, another driver on the road, the owner of the truck or trailer, a shipping or loading company, a maintenance company, a manufacturer, a receiver, or another entity could share liability depending on what caused the accident. Improperly loaded cargo can shift dangerously during transport, leading to accidents. In this case the entity responsible for loading the cargo could share fault.
Determining fault at the scene of a truck crash may include the following:
** Arkansas distracted driving laws have expanded their definition to include any sort of “wireless interactive communication.”
Learn more about fatal truck accidents with our infographic.
The most common injuries drivers face after a truck accident can include:
Some of the most common causes of Arkansas truck accidents include:
If you have lost a loved one as a result of a fatal truck accident, talk to us as soon as possible. We have decades of solid experience helping Arkansas truck accident survivors. We discuss your case with you in great detail, look at all documentation, explain your legal rights, check filing dates, and more. We ensure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision on how to proceed with your case.
Reach out to the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield by calling (479) 361-3575. Our dedicated team of Springdale truck accident lawyers is here to help.
Call us today for a free initial consultation and to find out how we can help you. We know you have questions, and we can answer them for you. The Springdale truck accident lawyers at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield are just one quick call away: (479) 361-3575.