A recent trucking accident in Fort Lauderdale put a gas tanker through a guard rail that runs along U.S. 1, according to 7NEWS. The accident happened when the semi suddenly lost control on the highway near Interstate 595. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office reports that the tanker was not hauling gas at the time of the accident.
Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys are thankful that no other vehicles were involved in this accident. It could have turned out much worse. Unfortunately, this clean of an accident isn’t always how it works out. Traffic accidents that involve a big rig, a semi, a tractor-trailer or an 18-wheeler can oftentimes produce deadly results. As we round out the year and head into the holiday season, we can expect to see a drastic increase in the amount of traffic on our roadways. This increase in traffic means that we’ll be seeing a boost in accident risks as well. With every holiday season, tourists and snowbirds flock to the area to get away from the wicked winter and to soak up the Florida sunshine. Unfortunately, many of these individuals have no idea where they’re going on our roadways. Mix their confusion with the dangers of semi-trucks and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 3,500 traffic fatalities resulting from accidents with these larger vehicles. Another 75,000 people were injured in these incidents. It’s estimated that there are roughly 300,000 large trucks that were involved in traffic accidents on U.S. roadways in 2009.
The occupants of the other vehicle (the passenger vehicle) are most likely to be killed in an accident with a big rig:
-About 76 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among the other vehicle’s occupants.
-About 2 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among non-occupants.
-About 22 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among the truck’s occupants.
The occupants of the other vehicle (the passenger vehicle) are most likely to be injured in an accident with a big rig:
-About 71 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in injury among the other vehicle’s occupants.
-About 3 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in injury among non-occupants.
-About 26 percent of traffic accidents with a large truck resulted in fatalities among the truck’s occupants.
There were nearly 3,500 fatal traffic accidents in the state of Florida in 2009. There were nearly 200 large trucks involved in these fatal accidents. Safe driving habits are your best defense against an accident with a semi. Drivers should remain aware of their surroundings, and should travel carefully and cautiously along roadways where these trucks travel as well.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a truck in West Palm Beach, Margate, Port St. Lucie or the surrounding areas, contact the Law Offices of Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez. Call 1-800-529-2368 for a free consultation to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
FHP Uses Operation Safe Driver Campaign to Help Reduce Bus and Truck Accidents in Tamarac and Elsewhere, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, October 16, 2011
Rear-end accidents involving tractor-trailers a deadly cause of car accidents in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, March 23, 2011