In 2017, there were 4,102 deaths caused by large truck accidents in California and throughout the country. The rate of fatal truck crashes is about three times higher than the overall fatal crash rate. Of those who were killed in large truck accidents in 2017, 17 percent were occupants of the trucks themselves. A further 68 percent of victims were occupants of cars or other passenger vehicles while the rest were pedestrians.
However, there has been little progress in attempting to make large trucks safer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, has not yet taken action related to recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB, according to Road Safe America. The NTSB has recommended since the 1990s that large trucks be outfitted with crash avoidance systems, but the NHTSA has yet to propose a rule to do so.
Front crash avoidance systems are set to become standard on all new passenger vehicles by 2022. Therefore, it is possible that large trucks could also have some form of this technology installed on them. As the economy grows and people increasingly order goods online, it is likely that more trucks will be on the road. This could lead to a greater chance of large truck accidents and fatalities in the future.
A Costa Mesa truck accident injury compensation law firm may be able to help an accident victim in a variety of ways. For instance, an attorney may file a lawsuit to avoid the statute of limitations lapsing. Even if the case never goes to court, a lawsuit preserves an individual’s right to do so. An attorney may also gather evidence that might help a victim obtain a favorable outcome in a case. This may include compensation for lost wages and medical bills related to the crash.
