Blog

Trucking Accidents

• One Injured in Semi-Truck Accident on I-435 in Northland Kansas City

View All

The Large Truck Accident Causation Study: What causes commercial truck accidents in Kansas and Missouri?

zIn 1999, Congress passed The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act. This act mandated a federal study to determine the causes of large truck crashes involving commercial motor vehicles. MCSIA also directed the Secretary to transmit to Congress the results of the study. So, two federal agencies, The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), conducted a two-and-a-half year long nationwide study of factors that contribute to truck crashes. This study is known as The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) .

The study examined 967 crashes in 17 states which included 1,127 large trucks, 959 non-truck motor vehicles, 251 fatalities, and 1,408 injuries. Data were collected on up to 1,000 elements in each crash.

For each accident, the researchers coded a critical event or event that immediately led to the crash. They also identified a critical reason that described why the critical event occurred. They also noted the presence of about 1,000 associated crash risk factors that may have contributed to the accident.

Top 5 Critical Events: the event that immediately lead to the crash

1. Truck went over the lane line or off the road: 32.1%
2. Driver lost control of the truck (Traveling Too Fast for Conditions, Other): 28.6%
3. The presence of anther motor vehicle in travel lane: 21.7%
4. Turning, crossing an intersection: 10.3%
5. Pedestrian/bicyclist/other non-motorist in roadway: 2.5%

Critical Reasons: Four types of driver errors that contributed to the critical event

1. Decision—Driver drove too fast for conditions, misjudged the speed of other vehicles, followed other vehicles too closely, or made false assumptions about other driver's actions: 38%
2. Recognition—Driver did not recognize the situation by not paying proper attention, was distracted by something inside or outside the vehicle, or failed to adequately observe the situation: 28.4%
3. Non-Performance—Driver fell asleep, was disabled by a medical condition, or was physically impaired for another reason: 11.6%
4. Performance—Driver froze, overcompensated, or exercised poor directional control: 9.2%

Top 20 associated factors

1. Brake problems: 29.4%
2. Traffic Flow Interruption (Previous Crash, Congestion, Other): 28.0%
3. Prescription Drug Use: 26.3%
4. Traveling Too Fast for Conditions: 22.9%
5. Unfamiliar with Roadway : 21.6
6. Roadway Related Factors: 20.5%
7. Driver Required To Stop Before Crash (Traffic Control Device, Other): 19.8%
8. Over-the-Counter Drug Use: 17.3%
9. Weather: 14.1%
10. Inadequate Surveillance: 13.2%
11. Fatigue: 13.0%
12. Under Work-Related Pressure: 9.3%
13. Illegal Maneuver: 9.1%
14. Driver inattention: 8.5%
15. External Distraction Factors: 8.0%
16. Inadequate Evasive Action: 6.6%
17. Aggressive Driving Behavior (Tailgating, Weaving, Other): 6.6%
18. Driver unfamiliar with vehicle: 6.5%
19. Following Too Closely: 4.9%
20. False Assumption of Other Road Users Actions: 4.7%

But, when the study combined the contributing factors and critical events and looked for relative risk, it found that that some factors are far more likely to cause a semi truck wreck than others.

The top ten factors most likely to cause an large truck accident are:

1. Cargo shifts
2. Driver illness
3. Illegal driving maneuvers
4. Following too close
5. Driver inattention
6. Inadequate surveillance
7. Driver fatigue
8. Traveling too fast for road conditions
9. Internal distraction
10. Alcohol use

All these factors are avoidable! If drivers of large trucks are required to get enough sleep, to secure their loads, to take regular breaks and to drive within the speed limit then most truck accidents can be avoided.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Missouri or Kansas commercial truck accident, contact the Kansas City truck accident attorneys at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys. Our Missori truck crash lawyers can help you deal with the trucking companies and their insurance agents so you can get fair compensation for your medical costs, pain and suffering, lost wages and other damages. To learn more, call our Missouri big rig accident attorneys at 1-888-348-2616.

To get started, download our free book: “10 Essential Steps You Must Take to Protect Your Personal Injury Claim.”

Just Ask

Free Consumer Guides

Testimonials

• I’m highly satisfied, I would call Victor again. I needed his help, and he has been a great attorney. I’m very comfortable recommending victor to other clients. Now that I’m happy with how much he’s helped me, I’m definitely recommending him to anyone that needed his help.
• Heather was very nice and polite and very informative. Heather was very responsive when I asked her questions and very informative. Yes, she was very aggressive with the insurance company. She was very aggressive trying to get a higher amount. Yes she was very nice. She is very informative and knows what she is doing.
• It was great to work with Heather, she kept me informed about everything, the dos and the don’ts and what everything was and kept me on track. she was very professional she told you what was going on, she kept you a breast of everything that was going on, she was an excellent lawyer. Ms Heather and the whole staff at the Accident Injury firm, I would recommend them to anybody across the world, that they are excellent, honest attorneys.

View All

Latest News

• Posted on 1/19/2012Driver Injured when Semi-Truck Over Turns in North Kansas City
• Posted on 11/14/2011Missouri Family Awarded $7 million After Fatal Trucking Accident

View All

FAQs

Trucking Accidents

• How long do I have to file a Kansas City truck accident lawsuit in Kansas and when should I contact a Kansas City truck accident lawyer?
  

View All

Web Resources

• Trucking Accidents

more