Dallas 18-wheeler crash this morning claims lives of three
Dallas 18-wheeler crash this morning claims lives of threeThe number of people getting seriously injured and even killed in Texas due to crashes involving 18-wheelers unfortunately continues to rise. Just this morning, the most recent tragedy happened in Dallas at about 2:00 AM when three people in a car lost their lives on Interstate 30. It is not clear at this time how the crash happened and we often see driving while intoxicated crashes at that time. But sadly, this is just another news story and statistic about Texas truck injuries and fatalities. And there is no end in sight.
The photograph is not from the Dallas crash but from a case we recently resolved at a mediation. We filed suit after this tractor-trailer rear-ended several vehicles on an interstate in Fort Worth.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that a shocking 4,317 people died — 556 of those being Texans — and 30,000 people were injured in large truck crashes. Of course, almost all of the victims were the occupants of other vehicles. The 80,000 gross vehicle weight rated tractor-trailer almost always wins the battle with the smaller car or pickup truck.
And care to guess which state had the highest number of large trucks that were in fatal wrecks? Woo hoo, we’re #1, with 539 commercial vehicles involved in these crashes.
That’s way too many. After all, one is too many, especially if it has affected your or someone you love.
The flurry of truck wrecks is despite the constant improvement and increase in technology, testing, training, and regulations –and no doubt lawsuits against commercial truck companies and their negligent drivers — that have improved the safety of the our highways.
Other statistics that show the extent of this problem
- Of those who died as a result of a large truck accident, 72 percent (3,127 people) occupied other vehicles, and 11 percent (468) were not in a vehicle, like bicyclists and pedestrians.
- There was a 13 percent increase in the fatalities of pedestrians, cyclists, and those who were outside of the truck or a car when they were hit—the highest fatality figure in the last decade.
- There was a four percent overall increase in the number of people in cars who were killed– the highest rise in car occupant deaths since 2008.
- More than 20 percent of large truck operators who were involved in a fatal crash had previous crashes on their record.
Each year, thousands of people get in their car to go to work, or to run an errand, and are injured or killed in a large truck crash. Like the airplanes and trains that connect this country, large trucks are essential to the economy, moving manufactured and other goods to market. But they have to be driven safely.
Drastic solutions are needed to reverse the increasing tide of Texas truck injuries caused by crashes with these enormous death traps. We blog about this vital need constantly here.
Speak with an top Texas truck injury attorney
Berenson Injury Law has almost four decades helping individuals and families recover their damages for their Texas truck injuries. If you or a loved one is injured in a truck accident here in North Texas or anywhere across the Lone Star State, we have the experience, knowledge, and dedication to protect your rights.
Contact us here or call 1-888-801-8585 to schedule a free consultation about your truck crash. We will fight to get you and your family the compensation you deserve.