More Deadly Large Truck Crashes as Industry Eyes Relaxed Safety Standards

Large truck crashes are on the rise throughout the U.S., according to a new report by federal safety regulators. This news comes just as trucking industry lobbyists have begun pushing hard for relaxed safety rules on things like hours of service and CDL age requirements to combat supply chain snags and driver shortages.

Fort Myers, Florida truck accident lawyers at Garvin Injury Law were troubled to learn that fatal accidents involving large trucks (those with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000+ pounds) reached nearly 4,500 in a single recent year. That’s the highest it’s been since 2005 when overall crash rates were at record highs. Factor in buses, and that figure shoots up to 5,230. About 1 percent of the total 550,000 large truck accidents reported each year are deadly, per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). However, the number of fatal crashes has gone up, even as the overall number of accidents has slightly fallen.

We also can’t overlook the fact that even when truck crashes aren’t deadly, people are frequently suffering injuries that are extremely serious if not catastrophic. There were 160,000 large truck crash injuries reported in 2019. Data shows us time and again that when someone is hurt or killed in a large truck accident, it’s the occupants of other vehicles – not the trucker – bearing the brunt Pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists are also at high risk.

As for when/where large truck crashes are most likely to occur, the FMCSA gives the following breakdown:

57 percent of all fatal large truck crashes occur in rural areas.
25 percent occur on interstate highways, like I-75.
13 percent fell in both categories, occurring on rural interstate highways.
36 percent of all fatal truck accidents and 22 percent of all injury crashes occurred between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
83 percent of fatal trucking accidents happened on weekdays.

The largest percentage of drivers involved in fatal truck accidents are between the ages of 46 and 55.

Pressure for Relaxed Safety Standards Meets Concern for Uptick in Large Truck Crashes

Significant and ongoing supply chain squeezes and a dearth of qualified drivers has led to advocacy for certain trucking industry requirements, including minimum driver age, training, and hours of service. Safety advocates have expressed concern this could lead to even more large trucking accidents.

Commercial truck drivers must be at least 21 to make trips across state lines. However, the recently-passed infrastructure bill will allow some drivers as young as 18 to take on those interstate assignments for the next three years.

Now, there are calls to relax federal rest requirements set by the U.S. Department of Transportation. As it stands, truckers are limited to 11 hour workdays in a 70-hour week. They must also be afforded a 30-minute break in the first eight hours of their shift. A law implemented in 2020 allows truckers making trips within just a few hours of their starting point to stretch the hours of service to 14 hours in a single shift.

Some factors known to be contributing factors in Florida large truck accidents include:

Long workdays.
Excessive driving hours.
Distracted Driving (i.e.. texting)
Unreasonable delivery demands.

Addressing the supply chain squeezes while balancing motorist safety is a tricky task, but an important one that requires careful consideration.

Filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Florida

Florida truck accident claims tend to be complicated by the following factors:

Substantial injuries/increased likelihood of fatalities. Profound impacts on people’s lives mean the financial and emotional stakes in these cases are higher.
Multiple defendants. Florida truck crash cases aren’t like typical accident claims in that you’re usually not dealing solely with the person who hit you and their insurer. You have the driver, but also their employer, the owner of the truck, the shipping partner, third-party logistics firms, the vehicle manufacturer/maintenance company, etc. That can have lawyers untangling corporate contracts as we’re also determining what happened, who was at fault, and how high your damages are.
Multiple plaintiffs. If the truck accident involved numerous vehicles or if there were several people in your car who were hurt, that could impact the total amount to which you’re entitled.

Like most Florida personal injury cases, truck accident lawsuits generally need to be filed within four years. However, if it’s a wrongful death case, it has to be filed within two years. Additionally, if any government agencies might be defendants, there could be shorter notice requirements. Anyone injured in a large truck crash would be wise to consult with a top-rated injury law firm to review their legal options as soon as possible.

If you are injured in Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Cape Coral, Naples or Key West, contact Garvin Injury Law at 800.977.7017 for a free initial consultation.

Additional Resources:

Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2019, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

More Blog Entries:

Southwest Florida Car Accident Risk Rises With Road Construction, June 9, 2021, Fort Myers Truck Accident Lawyer Blog