Oklahoma Truck Accident Statistics
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA); the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA); the Oklahoma Trucking Association; and the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office are just some of the different entities that compile truck accident statistics.
More than 4,500 interstate truck and bus companies operate in Oklahoma, and countless trucks drive on highways and roadways in the state every day. Unfortunately, this means truck accidents can happen anytime and anywhere in Oklahoma.
To better understand truck accidents in Oklahoma, consider the following:
In the past 10 years, approximately 100 fatal truck accidents have occurred on Oklahoma roads each year.
4,731 large truck crashes occurred in Oklahoma in 2011. This was an increase from the 4,508 crashes that occurred in 2010 (Oklahoma Highway Safety Office).
76 people died in large truck crashes in Oklahoma in 2011, a decrease from the 80 who were killed in 2010 (Oklahoma Highway Safety Office).
218 people suffered incapacitating injuries, another 539 suffered non-incapacitating injuries and 608 suffered possible injuries in Oklahoma large truck crashes in 2011.
August was the worst month for Oklahoma large truck crashes in 2011, with 439 crashes (Oklahoma Highway Safety Office).
The majority of truck crashes in Oklahoma involved two vehicles. 3,432 of the total crashes in 2011 were two-vehicle accidents, while 993 of the accidents were single-vehicle crashes. Three or more vehicles were involved in the remaining 306 crashes in the state (Oklahoma Highway Safety Office).
Oklahoma had the third-highest number of deaths from crashes involving trucks, with 3.19 per 100,000 people in 2005 (Truck Safety Coalition).
In the majority of large truck crashes, the truck driver is not the one who is injured or killed. In 2010, for example, 2266 of the 2,765 people killed in Oklahoma truck crashes were occupants of passenger cars, and only 499 were truckers.
In general, serious truck accidents are more likely to happen in rural areas instead of urban ones. However, in Oklahoma in 2011, the highest number of large truck accidents (1,274) occurred on city streets (Oklahoma Highway Safety Office).
General Truck Accident Statistics
Truck accidents are not just a problem in Oklahoma, of course, but throughout the United States. To better understand the national landscape of trucking accidents, consider some statistics provided by the Department of Transportation, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that more than 500,000 truck accidents occur each year in the United States.
In 2017, 4,657 trucks were involved in fatalities in the United States. This was an 9% percent increase from the previous year (FMCSA).
74,000 motorists were injured in collisions with heavy trucks, tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers and other large commercial motor vehicles in 2009 (NHTSA).
In the majority of fatal injuries in 2017 (72 percent), someone other than the truck driver was killed (NHTSA).
Causes of Truck Accidents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration provides statistics on factors contributing to truck accidents. According to its information:
31 percent of fatal crashes were caused by something a truck driver did.
Speeding caused 7 percent of large truck accidents and was the most common driver-related factor contributing to wrecks.
In 6 percent of large truck crashes, failure to remain in the correct lane was the driver-related factor that led to the wreck.
Distracted driving was the third most common driver error leading to accidents in 2009 and caused 6 percent of fatal large truck accidents.
2 percent of large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes were legally intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher. FMCSA limits the BAC for commercial drivers to 0.04.
Truck accidents can have life-changing consequences for victims and their families. Medical expenses and lost wages often create financial hardships that endure for years, especially if you are unable to return to the same level of work that you did before. Don’t delay – contact the Rode Law Firm in Tulsa right away. We can give you a quick assessment and advise you of your legal options. There is no fee unless we successfully recover for you in your case.
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