We have more exposure to news and information than ever before, and it can often make it feel like negative events are happening far more often. You’re flooded with stories about wildfires and car accidents and other tragic events.
But are they really getting more common? Or is it just easier to find out about them? Let’s take a look at commercial accident statistics to see if incidents involving buses and trucks are more or less common in recent years.
Some of the most recent data tells us that the amount of fatal accidents involving these large vehicles did in fact increase from 2015 to 2016. It rose by 2 percent. That brought the total to 4,440 deadly crashes for buses and trucks that year.
It gets even worse if you go back to 2009, when there were just 3,432 large vehicles in deadly accidents. Between 2009 and 2016, the total jumped by a staggering 29 percent.
However, the high came back in 2005, when it actually hit 5,231. If you compare that high to 2016, despite the drastic rise in recent years, the overall total has still fallen by 15 percent since 2005.
What this tells you is that safety increased dramatically — at an unexpected rate, really — from 2005 to 2009. It has reversed course recently, though, and it could reach new highs if that trend continues.
Have you gotten injured in a crash with a truck or a bus, or have you lost a loved one in such an accident? If so, be sure you know how to seek out compensation for lost wages, medical bills and other costs.
Contact a PA commercial accident lawyer to learn more.
