Drivers in Ohio may be interested to know that federal crash data analyzed by Road Safe America showed that from 2009 to 2017, 44 states experienced increases in big-rig truck crash fatalities. During that time period, 35,882 people lost their lives in crashes involving large trucks. According to the co-founder of the non-profit organization, the fatalities could have been prevented if there had been laws in place requiring the use of automatic emergency braking technologies and existing speed limiting.
From 2009 to 2016, the number of miles that were driven by heavy commercial trucks fell slightly. This is while the number of crashes involving the trucks continued to rise.
The federal data showed that the top five states that had the highest number of truck crash deaths in 2017 were Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, California and Texas. Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Idaho and Washington were the five states that had the largest percentage increases in fatalities caused by truck crashes from 2009 to 2017.
In the majority of the states that are in the top five list, the speed limits for big rigs are at least 70 miles per hour. The co-founder of Road Safe America states that because big rigs that can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds are unable to come to a stop in an emergency in the same distance as the other vehicles that occupy the roads, there are no valid reasons to allow the big rigs to be operated as speeds that are so high.
Columbus, Ohio, truck accident injury lawyers may work to help people injured in crashes involving big rigs to seek legal recourse. The parties whose actions are responsible for a crash may be sued for financial compensation for injuries sustained in the crash. Lawsuits may be filed against truck drivers for distracted or drunk driving.