Fatal large truck accidents on the rise

California motorists might have been in more danger of involvement in a fatal large truck accident in 2015 than in the previous year. In 2015, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there was an 8 percent increase in the number of large trucks involved in deadly crashes compared to the previous year. The FMCSA defined large trucks as weighing more than 10,000 pounds.

There were 3,598 deadly crashes in 2015 involving 4,050 large trucks. A total of 415,000 crashes involving large trucks were reported to police, and 20 percent of those crashes resulted in injuries.

Most fatal crashes were on rural roads and involved two vehicles. Single-vehicle crashes involving a truck and a non-motorized vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian accounted for 20 percent of fatal crashes. About one-quarter of fatalities occurred on interstate highways. The 667 truck occupant fatalities represented an increase of 2 percent over the previous year. Most were the drivers of the trucks.

A truck accident might happen because of reckless driving, distracted driving, fatigue, drug or alcohol use or for a number of other reasons. Even when a truck accident is not deadly, people may still be left with devastating injuries. If the accident is caused by the truck driver of by an issue with the truck, such as poorly maintained parts, the injured victims might expect enough compensation from the insurance company to cover the costs of their medical treatment and repair or replacement of their vehicle. They might also lose income from missing work. However, the offer from the insurance company might be insufficient, or the insurance company might even dispute the cause of the accident. An attorney may be helpful in negotiating with the insurance company and getting a a better settlement or even filing a lawsuit if necessary.