Rear-End Trucking Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute released a study with information on rear-end trucking accidents from 1994 to 1999. The data included crashes that occurred when a vehicle hit the back of a truck, as well as when a truck hit the rear end of another vehicle.
According to the organizations’ data:
- Trucks hit in the rear end by another vehicle: There was a total of 42,000 of these kinds of accidents from 1994 to 1999. As a result of these accidents, 271 people died, 2,000 people were incapacitated and 3,000 people sustained injuries that did not incapacitate them.
- Trucks that hit the rear end of another vehicle: There were 28,000 of these kinds of accidents from 1994 to 1999. Of these accidents, there were 461 fatalities, 2,000 injuries left the victims incapacitated and 3,000 were non-incapacitating injuries.
The study indicates that some of the reasons for these rear-end accidents include the lighting conditions in the area where the accidents took place, poor brakes, driving under the influence of alcohol and not being careful when driving through intersections or on ramps and driveways.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, equipping vehicles with both warning and auto-braking systems can reduce the rate of rear-end crashes by 39 percent and rear-end crashes involving injuries by 42 percent.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the US government agency that regulates vehicle safety, already acknowledges and encourages the implementation of these systems. And, like airbags and seat belts and anti-lock brakes, these collision mitigation technologies could eventually become required equipment.
Rear-end trucking accidents can cause catastrophic injuries and life-altering consequences. If you have been injured in such a collision, speak to a personal injury attorney to learn more about your legal rights and options for recovery. Contact our office at 361-792-2358 to schedule a free consultation today.
