October 3, 2023
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Reading Time: 6 min
Truck accidents are common motor vehicle accidents in New York that can cause severe injuries like spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Drivers who lose control of large trucks can spin out and crash into other vehicles. A large-sized vehicle crashing into smaller cars at high speeds can cause catastrophic damage that can affect a person throughout their life.
Victims of New York truck accidents can file truck accident claims to pursue compensation for damages, such as medical bills, property damage, and loss of enjoyment of life. Truck drivers can be liable for damages if they endangered other drivers on the road through negligent or intentionally reckless behavior.
An experienced truck accident lawyer can help recover truck accident damages by filing the proper paperwork, gathering tangible evidence, and negotiating a fair settlement with the at-fault party’s insurer.
How Many Large Truck Accidents Are There Every Year in New York?
New York large truck accidents are a catastrophic type of motor vehicle accident that can expose other drivers to harm. Large trucks are any truck that exceeds 10,000 pounds. These truck accidents can happen with 18-wheelers, big rigs, semi-trucks, dump trucks, and tow trucks.
According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research (ITSMR), there were about 16,467 large truck accidents in New York in 2021. About 15,606 of these crashes were severe enough to require reporting to the police. Severe large truck accidents can expose drivers to significant harm and cause severe injuries like traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), bone fractures, and knee injuries.
In 2022, there were approximately 166,833 truck accidents across the United States, resulting in at least 75,000 injured individuals in total. Out of the 166,833 accidents, approximately 2.8% resulted in fatality. In the same year, Texas had the most truck accidents, followed by California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. New York sits in the top ten, with around 5,000 truck accidents with injury in 2022.
Are Parties Besides Drivers Ever Affected by Large Truck Accidents?
Not all truck accidents occur with other drivers. While large truck accidents commonly involve a truck driver crashing into another driver, they can also involve pedestrians receiving blunt-force trauma. A truck accident can affect a pedestrian either by the truck driver crashing directly into them or crashing into another car that plows into the pedestrian.
Truck drivers can also cause accidents with motorcyclists and bicyclists. Truck accidents commonly occur at intersections when a driver fails to yield the right of way to a driver or pedestrian who has the right to drive through the intersection or cross the street.
The following are some 2021 ITSMR statistics about truck accidents with pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists:
- 149 pedestrians were struck during large truck accidents
- Large truck accidents caused severe injuries to 81 New York bicyclists
- There were 48 large truck-motorcycle accidents in New York
New York Truck Accident Statistics: Fatalities
In catastrophic large truck accidents, fatalities can occur. A motor vehicle the size of a large truck can crush other cars through underride accidents or cause so much damage to a person’s body that they cannot recover. Large truck accidents can also cause fires and explosions that can kill drivers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians.
In 2021, there were 88 fatal large truck crashes in New York. The damage and harm caused by high-impact truck accidents led to more deaths of pedestrians than any other group, as over 10% of fatal truck accidents involved pedestrians.
How Many Truck Accidents Are There Yearly Nationwide?
Large truck accidents are an epidemic across the United States, with negligent driving, poor vehicle maintenance, and defective truck parts causing a large number of truck accidents in all fifty states. Drivers across the United States are exposed to significant health risks caused by the pressure and trauma of a truck accident impact.
According to the National Safety Council, there were about 5,700 fatal truck accidents in 2021. That was an 18% uptick from the number of fatal truck accidents in 2020 and a 49% increase over the previous decade.
What Causes Catastrophic Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents ordinarily occur in New York because of the negligence of a driver. When truck drivers do not operate their vehicles safely, they can lose control and expose others they share the road with to harm. The effects of negligent driving can be exacerbated by poor weather conditions like rain and snow that can happen in New York.
Manufacturers of truck parts can also be liable for truck accident claims if they fail to create a safe product. Truck parts like brakes, steering systems, and tires must be safe to use, or a driver can lose control of their vehicle and crash into other drivers.
The following are some common causes of New York truck accidents:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Running red lights
- Fatigued driving
- Aggressive driving
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Poor weather conditions
- Defective truck parts
How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help Victims Recover Compensatory Damages?
Some truck accident damages a victim can seek include medical bills, lost wages, property damage, loss of enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering. A truck driver or trucking company can be liable for damages depending on if they share liability for their negligence.
An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you with the process of a truck accident claim. They can determine the liable party, calculate your damages, explain your rights, prove negligence through evidence, and negotiate a fair settlement. A truck accident lawyer will have specific experience handling all of these steps that can help put you in the best position to recover compensatory damages.
Contact Cellino Law for Help With Your New York Truck Accident Claim
At Cellino Law, our New York truck accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for damages caused by a large truck, such as medical bills, property damage, and loss of enjoyment of life. We can help you after a New York truck accident assess your losses, determine the at-fault party, gather evidence, and negotiate a fair settlement.
Our truck accident lawyers understand how you can suffer following a truck accident and wish to help you craft a legal counsel plan to put you in the best position to recover compensation for damages. Contact Cellino Law today for a free New York truck accident consultation by calling us at 888-888-8888 or leaving a message on our online contact page.
Content checked by the personal injury attorney Ross Cellino. As a family man and a trial attorney, I pride myself on winning cases and serving the community. With over 35 years of experience, I understand the function of a jury, how juries arrive at conclusions, and the role that the jury plays in administering justice. I know how to win cases. You can find us in Manhattan, Buffalo, Melville, Rochester, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and other locations throughout New York.