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nhtsa big rig fatality stats | Northern California Personal Injury Blog

Causes and Statistics for Oakland Truck Accidents

By Kelly Balamuth on October 13, 2011

Highway accidents involving large trucks are incredibly dangerous due to the size and weight of the vehicles involved. These kinds of accidents were responsible for 3,380 highway fatalities and 74,000 injuries in 2009 across the nation, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Of the fatalities, approximately 75 percent were drivers or passengers in other cars, 15 percent were drivers or passengers of the truck, and 10 percent were non-occupants. While the data shows that there has been a 20 percent decline in deaths and 18 percent decline in injuries since 2008, the numbers are still striking and demand awareness of the causes and ways to prevent large truck accidents.

Common causes of a big rig accident in Oakland include:

  • Vehicle maintenance negligence: If a vehicle is not maintained properly, it is much more prone to accidents. Commonly neglected areas are brakes, tires, and engine parts. Drivers and their employers are required by law to maintain their trucks and can be held legally accountable if they fail to do so.
  • Driver inexperience: New drivers unfamiliar with their vehicle or routes can be prone to accidents.
  • Incorrect or over loading: If a vehicle is incorrectly loaded or over-loaded, it is more likely to cause the driver control problems.
  • Distracted or fatigued driving: When a driver operates a vehicle while tired or distracted (by a cell phone, handheld device, or anything else) he or she exponentially increases the odds of an accident. Tragic news reports of accidents resulting from distracted driving are prevalent for this reason. In terms of fatigue, drivers are mandated by law to limit their hours of operation to a pre-determined amount every shift and month.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Northern California truck accident, contact the Oakland truck accident attorneys with Balamuth Harrington for a complimentary consultation. Call 1-888-254-1234 to speak with an attorney about your case today.

Attorney Kelly Balamuth was profiled in the
September 2013 Issue of Plaintiff Magazine.

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Moraga, California 94556
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