New Mexico drivers who regularly share the roads with truck drivers may know that, when a large commercial truck becomes involved in an accident, the size and mass of an 18-wheeler is more likely to cause serious or even life-threatening injuries to occupants of other vehicles. While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that, while the number of large trucks that were involved in injury accidents slightly decreased, the number of trucks involved in fatal accidents increased.
The numbers from 2014 to 2015 also show that the number of large commercial trucks involved in fatal accidents rose by 8 percent. On the other hand, the number of trucks that were involved in accidents that resulted in injuries actually decreased by 1 percent. Likewise, the number of large trucks that were involved in incidents that caused damage to property also decreased by 1 percent.
It was noted by the FMCSA that, while the number of large commercial trucks involved in fatal accidents increased by 26 percent from 2009 to 2015, the 2015 number was still 18 percent lower than in 2005. In fact, the number of trucks involved in fatal accidents decreased from 2005 to 2009 by 34 percent before starting to increase in 2009.
In some cases, a drunk or distracted truck driver could cause an accident. Further, a truck accident may occur if the truck’s brakes or other equipment was not properly maintained. Attorneys representing people who have been injured in such a crash will review the accident investigation report, truck maintenance logs and other evidence in order to pinpoint liability.
