Large Trucks Were Involved in 8.9% of Fatal Accidents in Georgia
According to crash data provided by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), 5,005 people suffered fatal injuries in accidents involving large trucks in 2019. In Georgia that year, 202 people suffered fatal injuries in accidents involving large trucks, which accounted for 8.9 percent of all fatal accidents in the state. A majority of the truck accident victims in 2019 – more than 71 percent – were occupants of other vehicles involved in a large truck accident.
Occupants of any vehicle that is smaller than a large truck have very little protection from the harms associated with a collision. As such, the injuries resulting from a large truck accident are likely to be severe, if not fatal. Like many car accidents in Georgia, large truck accidents are often caused by preventable negligence.
Common Causes of Large Truck Accidents
Accidents involving large trucks are a daily occurrence in Georgia. In rare cases, an accident may be the result of a defective mechanism on a truck or car, such as failed brakes or a defective airbag that is the direct cause of personal injuries. However, most truck accidents are the result of common causes, some of which include the following:
- Inattentive driving, such as texting while behind the wheel
- Driving in severe weather
- Speeding
- Following a vehicle too closely
- Failing to signal when changing lanes
- Failing to yield to other drivers or pedestrians
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, and some prescription drugs which are listed as controlled substances
- Falling asleep at the wheel or driving when tired (which may be the result of exceeding the maximum driving hours allowed in one day)
- Driver inexperience
Humans make mistakes. Drivers of large trucks are human just as are drivers and occupants of other vehicles. However, drivers of large trucks must adhere to heightened standards not shared by drivers of passenger vehicles. Truck drivers must obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) after taking a class and must adhere to state and federal laws that solely apply to commercial truck drivers.
Common Injuries Associated with Large Truck Accidents
Victims of truck accidents who survive are often left with permanent injuries that transform their way of life. Examples of injuries resulting from truck accidents, which are similar to injuries associated with most motor vehicle accidents, include, among others, the following:
- Head injuries, which are often deemed traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including severe concussions
- Fractured bones
- Internal bleeding
- Torn muscles
- Soft tissue damage
- Injuries requiring emergency surgical intervention
- Burns
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries (which may lead to permanent nerve damage, or even paralysis)
- Burns
- Amputation
- Death
Injuries are dependent on how fast vehicles are traveling at the time of a collision, whether the victim was a driver or passenger, and where the victim was positioned at the time of impact. Any collision involving a large truck is significant, regardless of speed. Because the injuries resulting from a truck accident are life-altering, accident victims are stuck with permanent and ongoing damages in the form of pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost wages.
Contact Hudson Injury Firm Today for a Free Case Evaluation
If you have suffered injuries in a large truck accident, you may have legal options for seeking compensation. At Hudson Injury Firm, our Tifton truck accident lawyers represent the rights of clients who have been injured in preventable and catastrophic accidents. To find out how our legal team may be able to help you, contact our office today by calling (229) 396-5845 to receive your free case evaluation.