There are a lot of very dangerous professions in the United States, and people often do not know just how risky they are.
For instance, did you know that professional drivers, including truck drivers, have a fatality rate that is the seventh-highest in the United States? If you look at the data from 2016, the last year on record as of early 2019, a total of 660 people in large trucks died in these accidents.
One important thing to note is that it’s not just drivers who face these risks in their own semitrucks. Reports are careful to note that the 660 deaths included “large truck occupants.” That means passengers and other workers could contribute to that number, just as long as they were also occupants at the time of the crash.
On top of that, everyone who shares the road with semitrucks must understand that the greatest risk is to other drivers. If a semi goes out of control or enters oncoming traffic, for instance, people in small cars and pickup trucks suddenly find themselves in the path of an 80,000-pound vehicle. A semi driver may walk away from that with barely a scratch, while others could be killed. When you see that there were 660 deaths in the semitrucks, you have to consider how many other people died in multi-vehicle accidents.
Have you gotten injured in one of these accidents, or have you lost a loved one in a crash involving an 18-wheeler? Make sure you know what legal options you have to seek compensation for medical bills, funeral costs, lost wages and more.