Large trucks have a history of being involved in some of the most deadly crashes across the country. Large trucks may include any medium or heavy truck with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2019 there were 5,005 people killed in crashes involving large trucks. NHSTA also reported that seventy-one percent of people killed in large-truck crashes in 2019 were occupants of other vehicles.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted a large truck crash causation study that involved examining the reasons for serious crashes involving large trucks. Motor vehicle crashes are complex and various elements may influence the occurrence of a crash. These elements may include fatigue, alcohol or drug consumption, speeding, and distracted driving, to name a few. There may also be environmental factors that lead to a crash, as well as driver miscalculation and human error. The causation study found 10 top factors for large trucks and passenger vehicles (a car, pickup truck, van, or sport utility vehicle), which included: interruption of traffic flow, unfamiliarity with the roadway, inadequate surveillance, driving too fast for conditions, illegal maneuver, inattention, fatigue, illness, false assumption of other road user’s actions, and distraction by object or person inside the vehicle.
In a recent news report, one person died after a car accident involving a sedan and tractor-trailer on a highway in New Hampshire. The crash was reported around 11:30 pm on Interstate 95 in Greenland, New Hampshire. According to the news report, the sedan was parked along the right travel lane with its lights on when it was struck by the tractor-trailer. The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 25-year-old male, did not sustain any injuries as a result of the crash. The driver of the sedan had been declared dead upon arrival at the scene. No charges have been filed against the driver of the tractor-trailer, and it is not suspected that the crash was a result of speeding or alcohol.