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What can we learn from fatal truck accident statistics?

Federal and state agencies maintain information about all accidents. When looking at truck accident statistics, there is a lot to learn. It can help to inform about when and where these crashes occur. It also makes it clear who is most at risk of fatal injuries in such an accident.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes that 2019 statistics of truck accidents shed some light on important points all drivers should keep in mind.

Most at risk

The statistics tell a clear story about who will likely suffer the most as a result of a truck accident. The 2019 death toll for these accidents was 4,119, and most of those fatalities were people in the other vehicle. In 97% of the cases, the passengers or drivers in the car were the ones who suffered the fatal injuries. Only about 16% of accidents resulted in death for occupants in the truck.

Worst time

Accidents involving large trucks were most likely to occur between 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 48% of all accidents in 2019. These are the busiest times of the day on roads, so this is not entirely a surprise. There are more vehicles and trucks on the road during the daylight hours.

Worst place

While trucks generally stick to interstates and freeways, they also must travel on other types of roadways. It is when they leave the multi-lane roads that more accidents happen. Major roads that did not have more than two lanes were the site of most of the accidents.

Being aware is the best protection against a truck accident. But it also helps to know when you are most at risk.