by Richard Stucky Jan 11, 2024

Increase in Fatal Truck Accidents: Deaths Tied to Semi-Truck Accidents Go Up by 25%

The increase in fatal truck accidents as well as the number of motor vehicle accidents involving semis, 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers and big rigs spiked up significantly from 2020 to 2021, from just over 415,000 nationwide to nearly 525,000 in 2021, according to statistics compiled by a number of federal agencies, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Officials were not surprised, as the volume of traffic on the nation’s roadways increased as well, as the country came out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistics have long supported the conclusion that more miles driven equates to more accidents, though the ups and downs of the past have typically been tied to the rise and fall of gas prices.

Stats Show Fatalities More Likely in Truck Accidents

According to a report by Forbes Advisor, which drew data from the NHTSA, the FMCSA and the USDOT, only about one in every four semi-truck accidents involves any type of personal injury. In 2020, that was just over 105,000 large truck accidents. However, almost 4,500 of those injuries were fatal. Compare that to passenger vehicle accidents, where the fatality rate generally sits at about 1%.

We Can Help You Get Full and Fair Compensation after a Truck Accident

When the carelessness or negligence of a trucker or trucking company has caused you or someone you love to suffer any type of loss or injury, you want a proven personal injury attorney, someone who has helped others in similar circumstances. Stucky Injury Law can help you seek recovery for all your losses, from wages and unreimbursed medical expenses to physical pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of companionship or consortium.