Rear-End Truck Collisions: A Deadly Risk

TEXAS. According to the Seattle Times, 4,300 people were killed in truck accidents in 2016 alone. Of the people who were killed, 300 hundred died in rear-end truck collisions. Another 15,000 were injured in these kinds of accidents. What’s so devastating about truck rear-end collisions is that they are almost always entirely the fault of the truck driver and there is little that other drivers on the road can do to protect themselves. If a truck is driving behind you, and chooses to tailgate, or if you happen to stop suddenly and a truck doesn’t have space to stop, the person who is most likely to get hurt in a truck accident are the passengers in the smaller vehicle. When you’re talking about 80,000 pounds of vehicle moving at high speeds down a highway, there is little room for error.

Even though the trucking industry brings in billions of dollars each year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not asked for major regulatory changes in the trucking industry. If hundreds or thousands of people died in plane crashes, we imagine that there would not be similar silence. Despite this, the Seattle Times reports that with simple forward crash avoidance technology, the trucking industry could avoid the worst truck rear-end collisions. This technology could sense when a car is too close and initiate the truck’s braking system, in some cases, sooner than the truck driver can brake.

It isn’t likely that the truck industry will move to adopt this technology on its own because of the costs. Critics claim that regulatory boards are not moving fast enough to require truck drivers to use this technology. Despite this, the easiest way to prevent rear-end collisions is to make sure that truck drivers don’t engage in distracted driving, drinking and driving, and that they are well-rested when they get behind the wheel.

According to the University of Twente, rear-end collisions occur due to numerous factors and are avoided when drivers take careful tactical measures when driving to avoid crashing, especially in traffic. Autonomous technology can help drivers avoid accidents if sensors on the car can detect a car approaching too soon too fast. Still, many rear-end collisions occur when drivers are not paying attention, when they are tailgating, or when the driver’s reaction time is slowed either due to drinking, fatigue, or distracted driving.

Truck accidents of any kind can be devastating. With rear-end collisions, the driver to blame is often the truck driver. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident, consider reaching out to the Cooper Law Firm, truck accident lawyers in Texas. Our firm understands how devastating rear-end truck collisions can be. You and your loved ones may be entitled to receive compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering after this kind of accident. Contact our firm at https://www.cooper-law-firm.com/ to learn more.

Cooper Law Firm
501 N Third St,
Longview, TX 75601
Telephone: (903) 297-0037