A Fort Worth truck accident lawyer discusses this troubling trend
The number of fatal truck accidents on U.S. roads has surged over the last few years, but especially in Texas.
The Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex has seen a sharp increase in the number of deadly rollovers, jackknifes, pileups, T-bones, and rear-end crashes involving big rigs.
In 2019, there were 78 deadly accidents involving a semi or other large commercial vehicle in the Dallas-Forth Worth area. In 2020, that number ballooned to 90.
December's data was unavailable at the time of this writing, but officials reported 92 fatal truck accidents from January-November 2021.
Fatal truck accident factors
There are a number of factors contributing to the increase in Fort Worth area fatal truck accidents, according to local media reports. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram points to the following reasons for the truck accident surge.
Highways
Fort Worth is intersected by major highways and trucking routes that increase the number of 18-wheelers hauling cargo in the area. The more trucks around, the higher the risk for a truck accident. Some of the roadways most traveled by trucks include:
- I-35
- I-20
- I-635
- I-45
Bad Drivers
For a variety of reasons, people across the U.S. let good driving habits slide during the pandemic. This has contributed to more crashes. Since the COVID-19 economic lockdown, police have reported increased incidents of speeding, bad car and truck accidents, drunk driving (DWI), aggressive driving, and reduced seat belt use, among other bad habits.
Population Growth
The population is booming in Fort Worth. There are now 24% more residents living here than there were in 2010. With a residential population of over 925,000 and growing, the city's streets have struggled to safely accommodate the increased traffic.
Trucker Shortage
The U.S. needs another 80,000 truckers to get supply chains moving properly, according to analysts. This means the U.S. is seeking to put thousands of new truckers—with limited experience—behind the wheel of fully-loaded tractor-trailers that can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Inexperience is a major factor in fatal crashes involving big trucks.
Severe injuries are common in truck accidents
Efforts are being made to reduce the number of fatal truck accidents in Texas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but the process is slow going.
Meanwhile, serious injury-causing crashes have increased alongside fatal truck accidents.
Some of the most common non-fatal truck accident injuries include:
- Concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord damage that may cause partial or permanent paralysis
- Neck pain
- Herniated discs
- Broken leg, arm, wrist, and/or ankle bones
- Fractured ribs and skull
- Lacerations, deep cuts, burns, scrapes
- Whiplash
- Persistent pain in the shoulders, knee, chest
- Internal bleeding
Truck accidents are among the most violent and deadly types of crashes. When a trucker or trucking company acts carelessly, they must be held accountable for their actions.
Get answers to your legal questions today
If you're in the Greater Fort Worth area and you were injured or a loved one died in a truck accident, you should talk to an attorney as soon as possible to go over your legal rights and options.
Cases involving commercial trucks are typically high stakes, exceptionally complex, require thorough investigations, and are often heavily contested by trucking companies, insurance providers, and their teams of lawyers. That's why you need an experienced truck accident attorney in your corner to level the playing field and aggressively advocate for your best interests.
Contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law today for a free case consultation. A member of our legal team will listen to the details of your accident, explain how the law applies to you, and help you weigh your legal options. Whether it's in settlement negotiations or in court, we will fight for the compensation you deserve.
Schedule your no-cost case consultation today.