In 2012, approximately 104,000 people were injured and 3,921 killed in motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks. The number of injuries was an 18 percent increase from 2011, while the death toll was a 4 percent increase. Residents of Maryland might be surprised about the causes of these crashes and the number of large trucks involved in state collisions.
A total of 45,637 vehicles were involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents across the country in 2012, and 3,802 of these vehicles, or 8.3 percent, were large trucks. In Maryland, a total of 704 vehicles were involved in deadly crashes, and 56 of these, or 8 percent, were large trucks, which is close to the national average. The number of these trucks involved in fatal Maryland crashes was 1.5 percent of the U.S. total for large truck involvement.
Two of the factors involved in the 2012 fatalities were speeding and drunk driving. Almost 18 percent of the truck drivers were convicted of speeding before the accidents. This was more than the nearly 17 percent of passenger vehicle drivers. Additionally, 8.2 percent of truck drivers had a prior license revocation or suspension, whereas 14.9 percent of passenger vehicle drivers had revoked or suspended licenses. Among the number of fatal drunk driving accidents involving large trucks, 2 percent of truck drivers had blood alcohol concentrations of .08 percent or higher. The percentage of passenger vehicle drunk drivers involved in deadly accidents was 23 percent.
An injured victim of a collision caused by a negligent truck driver may choose to seek compensation for the damages that were incurred. The victim could get help with the lawsuit from an attorney, who may hire a private investigator to gather sufficient evidence of the at-fault party’s negligence.
