Bus and Truck Crash Facts
Posted on: May 16, 2017 by Edwards & Patterson Law
Simple physics dictates that larger vehicles require more power to move, handle differently, and demand more force to stop safely. As a consequence, drivers of buses and trucks must demonstrate special skills in order to receive a license to operate these heavier and more dangerous vehicles. Such operators are considered professional drivers, and are expected to maintain a high standard of safety when operating large, heavy vehicles on the road. Sadly, when a bus or truck crash occurs, the consequences are often catastrophic.
Common Causes of Bus and Truck Crashes
Weight, road conditions, weather conditions, vehicle conditions and driver error are just a few factors that contribute to bus and truck crashes. Taking these and other factors into account, there are several common causes of these types of accidents. They are:
- Distracted driving
- Sudden lane changes
- Veering off the side of the road
- High speed
- Traveling too fast for weather conditions
- Mechanical failure
When these or other factors cause accidents between buses and trucks, or buses, trucks and smaller vehicles, people are injured and lives and lost. Large vehicle accidents such as a bus or truck crash cost millions of dollars in medical expenses, property damage, lost wages and grief and suffering each year.
Bus and Truck Crash Statistics
The following statistics are from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) preliminary annual report for 2015.
- There were 3,838 fatal bus and truck crashes in the United States, with a total of 4,337 total fatalities.
- There were 106 bus and truck crash fatalities in Oklahoma.
- There were 97,000 bus and truck crashes that caused injuries, with a total of 138,000 people injured.
- Of the 3,598 fatal truck crashes in 2015, 738 (20.5%) involved trucks traveling over 70 mph.
- In 2015, there were 24.80 truck crashes in Oklahoma for every 1 million people.
These general numbers are further broken down by different categories including the types of trucks or buses involved in fatal crashes, types of bus or truck crashes with accidents, number of truck and bus accidents with other vehicles, and even accidents with different types of driver impairment.
If you have been involved in a bus or truck crash in eastern Oklahoma, Tulsa or McAlester, contact Edwards & Patterson Law. We offer free case evaluations with no strings attached. Call us today at 877-403-8417 or contact us online. Our attorneys take cases on a contingency basis, which means you pay no attorney’s fees unless you recover monetary damages.
“We care. We fight. We win!” That’s more than just a slogan at Edwards & Patterson Law. Those simple words sum up our law firm’s mission and everything we do for our accident and personal injury clients.
