Trucks need to share the roads in Wisconsin with many other vehicles. Trucks are generally transporting large loads of items that are essential for the people and businesses in Wisconsin. They play a vital role in the state, but they are much larger than the other vehicles on the roads. This means that truck drivers need to drive even more carefully than other drivers.
Truck accidents can cause significant damage to other vehicles and serious injuries to their occupants. Statistics demonstrate that the occupants of the other vehicles involved in truck accidents are much more likely to suffer serious injuries or die than the truck drivers involved in the accidents.
Statistics for deaths occurring in truck accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles account for approximately two-thirds of all deaths that occur in truck accidents. Motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians accounted for approximately 16% of all deaths in truck accidents and truck drivers accounted for approximately 16% of the deaths. So, people other than the truck drivers account for almost 84% of all the deaths in truck accidents.
These numbers change significantly when the accident involves only a truck and one passenger vehicle. In those situations, the occupants of the passenger vehicles account for 97% of the total number of deaths while the truck drivers only account for 3%.
The statistics show that truck accidents in Wisconsin are very dangerous for the occupants of passenger vehicles. The people involved can suffer serious injuries and many people die as a result. If the truck driver caused the accident though, the victims of the accident may be entitled to compensation for the injuries they suffered. Experienced attorneys understand the importance of this compensation and may be a useful resource.