The Sad and Sorry Story of Tractor Trailer Accidents
Tractor trailer accident attorney Big John Alley of Auburn, Alabama does not need to rely on the statistics to know that when tractor trailers are involved in Alabama road accidents, they cause devastating injuries and wrongful deaths, and result in far too many devastated lives.
Yet, the statistics are available to anyone, collected carefully by the Alabama Highway Patrol, The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, among many agencies.
Good news in Statistics
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced an encouraging analysis of traffic statistics recently: The number of United States traffic fatalities reported in 2008 hit the lowest level since 1961 and fatalities for the first three months of 2009 continued to decrease. The fatality rate, which accounts for variables like fewer miles traveled, also reached the lowest level ever recorded.
Crash Facts for Alabama
In 2008, 2,196 large trucks were involved in non-fatal accidents on Alabama roadways. In those crashes, 793 tractor-trailers caused 1,132 injuries and 131 fatalities.
Behind the Statistics
Nevertheless, families and friends in Alabama grieved last year over the loss of 966 lives in traffic accidents. One hundred and thirty-one of those fatal crashes involved a large truck traveling on an Alabama roadway.
It is true that tractor trailer collisions are responsible for somewhat fewer deaths in Alabama recently. There were 164 such fatalities in 2004, but every year since, deaths have ranged between 122 and 137.
Lee County, Alabama, where Auburn is located, recorded three traffic fatalities in large truck accidents in 2008. Lee ranks seventh among the top ten Alabama counties for motor vehicle deaths.
These statistics do not report the devastation of tractor-trailer crashes. They do not show the terrible damage big rigs cause to the human body, family cars, lives of loved ones, and futures of families –damage that Big John Alley has fought as a personal injury lawyer.
Forcing Trends Downward
Auburn is the heart of the fastest growing metropolitan area in Alabama, and the 19th most rapidly expanding metro area in the nation. The city ranked second in the US News list of best places to live in the United States.
All Auburn’s citizens must cooperate to drive more carefully and courteously to continue to force traffic fatality and tractor trailer collision statistics downward as population increases. We must regulate and inspect trucks, trucking companies and truck drivers to be sure they comply with our state’s highway safety regulations.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently published the top causes of tractor-trailer crashes. They are as follows, from most common factor to least common:
- Braking failure
- Traffic congestion
- Truck operator prescription drug use
- Truck operator driving his tractor-trailer too fast for road conditions
- Truck operator's unfamiliarity with the road
- Roadway construction
- Truck drivers failure to stop at a electronic traffic signal, stop sign, or crosswalk
- Truck operator's use of over-the-counter drugs
- Truck driver inattention
- Truck driver fatigue
We could prevent all these causes of tractor trailer accidents, through better safety inspections, better trucker training and oversight, more reasonable delivery schedules, and greater driver awareness of the vulnerabilities of big rigs.
Big John hopes all citizens of Auburn will agree “The Loveliest Village on the Plains” will never become so large that we will accept even three tractor-trailer accident fatalities as acceptable.
If you Become a Statistic
Nearly 80% of injury victims in truck accidents are the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles, not the trucks. By far, most fatal truck crashes – 88% - as well as 78% of non-fatal accidents --involve tractor trailers weighing over 26,000 pounds. Truck accidents are a leading cause of death among Americans between the ages of five and 35. One third of passenger vehicle fatalities in truck crashes claim people in the prime of their lives, between 35 and 46 years of age. If you are injured, or if a loved one dies in a big rig crash, get big legal representation. Call Big John Alley. Big John’s truck accident law practice takes a compassionate customer service approach to accident investigation, client counsel, and litigation. He is an established personal injury attorney with experience in Alabama trucking law and an excellent reputation. He will fight for you and he will not back down.
