1-855-722-2552Due to their size and weight, commercial vehicles can cause significant property damage and fatal injuries when they collide with a passenger vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that commercial vehicles were involved in 276,000 traffic crashes in 2010.
If your loved was killed in a Florida truck accident, you may be eligible for financial and legal recourse. Contact a Florida truck accident attorney today to explore your legal options.
To learn more about truck accident lawsuits, complete the Free Case Evaluation form on this page.
Truck Accident Fatality Statistics
According to the NHTSA, there were 29 Florida truck accident fatalities in 2011.
However, the NHTSA reports that nationally, 3,675 people were killed in truck accidents in 2010. This number increased 8.7 percent from 2009 statistics, where only 3,380 people died in truck accidents.
In 2009, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported the following findings about truck accidents:
- Speeding, failure to stay in the proper lane and inattention to driving conditions were the top three-driver related factors in fatal truck collisions.
- Only two percent of all truck drivers were legally drunk at the time of the truck accident.
- In 2009, seven percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents involved commercial trucks.
Causes of Fatal Truck Accidents
Some of the leading causes for fatal truck accidents include driver fatigue, driver error and poorly maintained rigs. Often people will assume the large trucks are more likely to be involved in fatal truck accidents; however, that is not always the case. According to fatal crash data, in 2009:
- Almost two-thirds of truck accident fatalities involved tractor trailers pulling a single trailer.
- Three percent of fatal truck accidents involved doubles.
- Trucks pulling three trailers were involved in less than .01 percent of all truck accident fatalities.
Typically, head-on collisions are the most deadly type of truck accident due to their heavy weight and momentum. Underride truck crashes make up a large number of truck accidents. Rear-end truck collisions and jackknife accidents that are caused by brake failure also cause numerous truck accident fatalities.
Contact a Florida Truck Accident Lawyer
If your loved one was killed in a truck accident due to the negligence of another party or entity, you may be entitled to compensation. Family members of the deceased may eligible to recover damages for medical bills, ambulatory services, funeral expenses and other losses associated with the accident. Contact a wrongful death attorney at Gordon & Partners to learn about the legal rights that may be available to you.
At Gordon & Partners, our attorneys have expertly litigated numerous personal injury cases in South Florida. We have helped a large number of clients receive favorable outcomes for their legal claims, whether through a jury verdict or a settlement.
our legal team is dedicated to helping accident victims receive the justice that they deserve. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay us a fee until we receive favorable outcome for your claim.
For additional information about Florida truck accident fatalities, fill out the contact form on this page.
