With many major highways running through and near our borough, Danville is no stranger to seeing large trucks on our roads. Tractor trailers often use I-80, Route 11, and Route 54 to transport goods, meaning they are sharing the road with other regular vehicles. Sharing the road is where complications start, though.
Small towns often have weird intersections that complicate a truck’s path, and Danville is no different. We have many intersections with unusual layouts that can be hard to navigate. When an accident happens from a weird intersection, or from any other reason, our Danville truck accident lawyer is here to help you.
At Stapp Law, LLC, we are dedicated to the victims of large truck wrecks where another party’s negligence caused you injuries and damages. You can rest assured that we’ll fight hard for your rights and get you justice for what’s happened to you.
Pennsylvania Truck Accident Statistics
Looking to statistics can help understand how often truck wrecks happen in Pennsylvania, and the severity of those crashes. With plenty of trucking companies having locations in Danville, and the major roads that go through our area, we see plenty of these collisions close to home.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) reports the number of crashes involving heavy trucks that happened in 2020. The data shows that there were:
- 6,344 heavy truck crashes
- 6,905 heavy trucks involved in crashes
- 110 fatal injuries suffered in heavy truck crashes
- 22 occupants of heavy trucks killed in crashes
One of the factors that the led to the crashes in Pennsylvania was vehicle failure. When semi trucks experience part defects and failures, it can cause even more severe situations than a defect might for a regular sized car because they’re so much larger and heavier than other motor vehicles. In fact, they weigh up to 30 times more, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Here are some of the specific truck defects and malfunctions that led to an accident occurring, and how many crashes they caused, according to the same PennDOT fact sheet from above:
- Tires – 116
- Brakes – 77
- Unsecured trailer or overloaded – 37
- Power train failure – 28
- Total system steering failure – 15
- Trailer hitch – 11
- Suspension – 4
The crash report from PennDOT also shows where the most tractor trailer crashes happen in our state. As reported, state highways, both interstate and other, account for just over 83 percent of all 18 wheeler collisions. The next highest location is local roads, and finally the least number of accidents happen on the Turnpike.
This might be surprising if you’ve ever driven on the PA Turnpike because most of the other vehicles you see on that road are semis. But the data shows that the Turnpike is the least likely place for a truck wreck.
Just because it’s less likely to happen in one place or another, though, a tractor trailer collision can happen anywhere that there are trucks. When you’ve been in a wreck with a large truck, you could use the help of our Danville truck accident attorney. We’ll represent you in your claim so you can get the justice you deserve.
Causes of Large Truck Wrecks in Danville
After seeing the statistics above for how often these wrecks happen, how serious they are, and where they happen, it’s important to consider what causes the wrecks so you can process that information and know what to look for as indicators. Some causes are mentioned above, but those are specifically vehicle defects and part malfunctions.
It can be helpful to look at a wider scope of what can cause semi wrecks so you know what to look for on the road, or so you can easily figure out what caused your collision. Here are some of the most common causes of truck accidents, as mentioned in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) study of large truck crash causations:
- Distracted driver
- Drunk driver
- Fatigued driver
- Improperly trained driver
- Speeding
- Blind spots
- Truck being cut off
- Part failure
- Truck defect
- Overloaded trailer
- Improperly loaded trailer
- Bad weather
- Poor road conditions
- Objects in the road
- Animal crossing
Just one of these situations alone could lead to a devastating wreck. When more than one happens at the same time, the collision can cause even more catastrophic injuries and damages, for both the occupants of a semi and a regular sized motor vehicle.
If you’ve been in one of these collisions and need help, you can turn to our Danville truck accident lawyer. We have experience with these claims and know how to handle the investigation into what or who caused the wreck to happen. That way, we can prove the other party’s fault and recover the compensation you deserve.
Injuries Truck Accident Victims Could Suffer
Large truck accidents can cause catastrophic injuries because of the size and weight differences between these tractor trailers and passenger vehicles. In collisions involving the two, the occupants of the regular sized vehicle were far more likely to suffer from devastating injuries and fatalities.
In fact, according to the IIHS, in fatal truck accidents, 67 percent of deaths are the passengers in regular sized motor vehicles, compared to 16 percent of the fatalities being the occupants of semi trucks. This shows how truck wrecks are much more dangerous for the people in passenger vehicles, and that’s because of the injuries they can suffer as a result.
Here are some of the most common injuries truck accident victims can suffer, whether they were in a regular car or tractor trailer:
- Bruises
- Cuts
- Burns
- Soft tissue injuries
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputations
- Death
After being in a crash with an 18 wheeler, you might be unsure what to do next. Even if you don’t think you’re injured, the adrenaline could be masking your pain and other symptoms of serious injuries. Regardless of if you think you’re injured or not, you need to seek medical attention immediately after your injury.
When you get evaluated by medical professionals for your injuries, this produces a record that helps your Danville truck accident attorney. Your medical records will be crucial evidence that your lawyers will use to calculate what you’re owed in damages.
Stapp Law, LLC Is Here for You and Your Family
Truck accidents can upend your life. When you weren’t the party at fault for the crash that caused your injuries and damages, you likely want to take legal action to hold the correct party accountable. That’s where our Danville truck accident lawyers can help.
At Stapp Law, LLC, we understand how devastating this can be, which is why we’re here to handle the legal side of things for you. Reach out to our firm today so we can schedule a free consultation to get started on your potential claim right away.
