As of 2013, close to 5% of all vehicles on the roadway were large trucks or buses. (Statistics from Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2013). Tractor trailers, semi-trucks, large trucks, and buses account for 10% of all vehicles on the road per million vehicle miles traveled. (Statistics from Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2013). In other words, these large trucks are a huge presence on our highways. While accounting for a pretty good percentage of our roads, you would think that safety would be the top priority for trucking companies; however, the statistics prove otherwise.
The trucking industry is subjected to roadside inspections by authorized safety inspectors. The inspectors are trained to ensure that these large, potentially dangerous trucks are in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), or if carrying hazardous materials, the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs). If a truck is issued an out-of-service (OOS) violation—a very serious violation—that truck must fix the issue prior to returning to service. An alarming rate of drivers and trucks get issued such OOS violations every year! In fact, in 2014, over 5% of tractor-trailer drivers and over 20% of tractor-trailers received these OOS violations. (Statistics from FMCSA, Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS)) Again, the violations are so horrible that the inspectors have to take the truck out of service. 1 out of every 3 semi-trucks and tractor trailers on the roadway has some kind of violation. (Statistics from FMCSA, Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS)) That is not a typo! It seems as though the trucking industry takes safety as an afterthought to profit.
So besides the numerous, safety violations, why are tractor trailers, semi-trucks, and other large trucks so dangerous? The easiest answer is: they outweigh, outsize, require a longer braking length, and require a greater turning radius than the standard vehicle. A tractor-trailer can be up to 16 times the weight of a vehicle and require 40% more length for braking. Between the large number of safety violations of trucking companies and the size of these vehicles, it is clear that they create a huge danger to the roadways.
In 2013, a large truck was involved in almost 13% of all the Nation’s fatal accidents and almost 7% of non-fatal accidents. (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2013) In New Mexico alone, between 2010 and 2013 there were 181 fatal trucking accidents.
If you or a family member have been involved in an accident involving a large truck, please contact Bradley Law so we can help get you fair compensation for your injuries. Call today for a free consultation.  505-585-4-LAW (505-585-4529)