Truck Accidents vs. Car Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are a top cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States. A wide variety of negligent actions cause fatal car accidents: drinking and driving, being distracted, speeding, and breaking other rules of the road. It is crucial for every motorist to be aware of their rights and responsibilities, but also to realize that not all accidents have the same legal treatment. The lawyers at The Barnes Firm want to bring some of these statistics to your attention and point out some significant differences between a typical car crash and commercial truck accidents.

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Car Accident where one car rearended another

Accident Statistics

Every year, roughly 1.3 million people die in motor vehicle accidents worldwide. About 2 million drivers in car accidents experience permanent injuries every year, and around 130,000 individuals are injured each year in truck collisions.

While distracted driving, age differences, and general vehicle safety are taken into account for both car and truck accident statistics, the protocol for handling each case differs by vehicle type.

Key Differences

Business vs. Personal

A truck accident presents a situation where a business entity gets involved. Unlike a typical car accident, factors such as cargo weight, freight maintenance, and potentially violated hours are all considerations.

High-Tech Equipment

Black boxes inside trucks record driving and crash data as per company policy and driver safety.

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Swift Investigations

The truck driver’s company may have professionals on retainer for accidents; supervisors and risk managers may arrive at the site of the crash.

Severity of Damages

Due to their size and heavy weight, truck accidents cause more serious damage and worse injuries than a typical car accident.

Coverage Difference

Truck drivers will be covered by commercial insurance or be self-insured. Car insurances typically have lower limits of coverage because the damage is not usually as severe.

Despite laws prohibiting using cellphones while you are operating a vehicle, 80% of car accidents involve some form of distracted driving. Each year, over 3,000 people in the United States die due to distracted driving crashes.