Jason Stephens | January 11, 2022 | Truck Accidents
If it seems like there are more fatal truck collisions on the road lately, you’re not imagining it. According to a recent report in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, fatal car accidents involving commercial trucks have surged in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in the last two years.
The combination of staggering growth in the D-FW area and a shortage of truck drivers has resulted in more fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles, including 18-wheelers.
According to the Star-Telegram:
When overall traffic plummeted at the onset of the pandemic, local transit experts like Michael Morris expected road safety to improve.
“We were making steady improvements previous to COVID, and then when we hit March 2020, somewhat to our surprise, the numbers turned around,” said Morris, director of transportation at the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
Although miles traveled nationwide dropped 13.2% in 2020 compared to 2019, traffic accident fatalities jumped 7.2% in 2020 from the previous year, according to the National Highway Safety Administration. In the first three months of 2021, 8,730 people died in traffic crashes, an increase of 10.5% from the same period in 2020, the AP reported.
In the 12 counties encompassing Dallas-Fort Worth — Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise counties — the number of fatal crashes involving a commercial vehicle shot up in 2020 and steadily increased into 2021.
The region saw 78 fatal crashes involving a commercial vehicle in 2019. In 2020, that number jumped to 90. Without accounting for December’s total, 2021’s number is already 92.
Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, has decades of experience representing victims of trucking accidents and their families.
The sheer size of an 18-wheeler — most are 70-80 feet long and weigh as much as 80,000 lbs — greatly increases the chances of severe injury or death if you or a loved one are involved in a truck collision.
If you have been involved in an accident with a commercial truck, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses and injuries from the truck driver, trucking company, or another negligent third party. Attorney Jason Stephens and his Team at Stephens Law offer a free case evaluation, so don’t hesitate to call today at (817) 420-7000 to see how our Fort Worth truck accident lawyer and firm can help.
Contact Our Truck Accident Law Firm in Fort Worth, TX
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth and need legal help, contact our Fort Worth truck accident lawyers at Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents to schedule a free consultation.
Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents
1300 S University Dr # 300
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 420-7000