What causes so many large truck accidents in Maryland, and how can you avoid them?

Several factors cause big trucks to be more dangerous, and more likely to cause Maryland accidents, than ever before.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious tractor-trailer collision that involved the aggressive driving of a commercial truck operator, then contact an experienced Maryland truck accident attorney.

Commercial trucks are really big and REALLY heavy.

An empty truck can weigh up to 26,000 pounds. This massive size alone dictates limitations in maneuverability. Fully loaded, the allowed weight on most U.S. highways is 80,000 pounds. That's about 40 tons of metal moving at high velocities alongside our relatively tiny passenger vehicles.

Statistics reveal that Maryland truck accidents are deadly.

Large trucks in Maryland have higher fatal accident rates per mile traveled than passenger vehicles. In the year 2008 alone, 4,008 people died related to truck accidents, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. More than half of these deaths, about 69 percent, were those of occupants of the passenger vehicles involved.

Deadly Maryland Truck Accidents Projected to Increase

According to federal and other estimates, this safety problem will only escalate. The truck industry is expanding by leaps and bounds. According to the Federal Highway Administration, commercial truck traffic will have dramatically increased on major roadways across the country by 2020. Although federal estimates range into 2035, we are already seeing heavy increases in goods being transported by truck.

This means higher expectations from trucking organizations and possibly riskier behaviors by the commercial truck drivers to accommodate ever-tightening performance requirements.
We can only hope for increased attention to safety measures to prevent the occurrence of big truck accidents from escalating as well.

Expertise and experience can make all the difference.

Don't deal with a serious Maryland truck accident alone. It is vital to work with an experienced truck accident attorney with the knowledge and expertise to pursue the correct parties for the compensation that you deserve.

Contact a Maryland tractor-trailer crash lawyer at Nickelsporn & Lundin by calling 1-800-875-9700. A dedicated truck accident lawyer will help protect your rights as the victim of a devastating Maryland tractor-trailer collision.