Accidents involving large trucks are some of the deadliest on the road. These vehicles are much larger than passenger vehicles. They weigh more and are taller. The sheer size introduces additional hazards in an accident situation.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety explains the size of a truck can lead to vehicles sliding under it or allowing the truck to crush a smaller vehicle.
Statistics
In 2019, there was a total death toll of 4,119 in truck accidents. Of those, most were drivers or passengers in the smaller vehicle. Only 16% were passengers or drivers in the truck. Fatal accidents between cars and large trucks resulted in the death of people in the car 97% of the time. Overall, in 2019, truck accidents accounted for 11% of all fatalities in crashes.
Factors
Truck accidents may occur for many reasons and can happen on any type of road. In 2019, most of the accidents happened on major roads that were not a freeway or interstate. The fewest fatal accidents occurred on minor roadways.
Accidents happened most often during the day with 48% occurring from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Only 17% happened on the weekend. The reason for these factors is that large trucks travel most often during work hours during the week. In addition, traffic late at night is usually sparse, so accidents are naturally less likely to occur then.
Accidents involving large trucks are often deadly. It is very difficult for a passenger vehicle to stand up against a large truck, which is why the statistics are so deadly for people in smaller vehicles.