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Commercial traffic makes up to 13% of all traffic on interstates and busiest urban highways in Pennsylvania, according to Pennsylvania Traffic Data Reporting. Drivers share local roadways, such as the Schuylkill and Vine Street Expressway, with tractor-trailers, tankers, garbage trucks, and flatbeds. We’ve outlined the following statistics, to hopefully help you understand and avoid dangerous truck accidents in Philadelphia:
The third most fatal roadway in America for trucking accidents is located in Pennsylvania, a stretch of I-95 that connects to the PA Turnpike near Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania leads the nation in fatal underride accidents, at 118 crashes. An underride accident occurs when a passenger vehicle slides underneath the back or sides of a truck -- think motorcycle. No other state came close to those numbers, California ranked second with 89 fatal underride crashes.
The last year in which Federal standards for underride protection devices were updated was is 1998.
The original law, which was written in 1953, required that some but not all tractor-trailers and straight trucks with cargo beds of 30” or more ground clearance have a guard to help prevent this type of accident.
The new law, from 1998, reduced the height requirement to 22” and only applies to vehicles manufactured after January 26, 1998; it does not apply to those manufactured prior to that date.
Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the nation for the highest number of fatal truck collisions between 2015 and 2017, with 405 crashes.
Of course, there is no amount of money that can compensate for the loss of a loved one, having a personal representative can assist with bringing a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party in these situations on behalf of the beneficiaries of the deceased (eg. spouse, children, parents).
The percentage of truck drivers whose distracted or inattentive driving caused their accidents is 28% according to a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FCMSA).
A 2012 Federal Law set new restrictions on the use of hand-held devices by commercial drivers; failure to comply can result in fines for the driver or the company they drive for.
When distracted driving causes an accident in Philadelphia, it can lead to a personal injury claim.
If you or a family member has been the victim of a trucking accident in Philadelphia or the surrounding community, you can call (267) 457-5570 -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The complexity of a truck accident requires experienced legal assistance to help ensure that rights are protected and compensation maximized.
