When traveling on any major highway, you probably won’t get far before seeing some sort of big truck. These massive vehicles deliver products and packages across the country and contribute a large part to the country’s economy.
Unfortunately, these vehicles can also cause devastating accidents. While they aren’t as common as typical auto accidents, truck collisions commonly cause severe injuries to multiple parties. It’s important to note that not all trucking companies are the same; in fact, some may be more dangerous than others.
The Most Unsafe Trucking Companies
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) collects yearly data on commercial trucking accidents. Looking at these numbers, we were able to identify the top three more dangerous trucking companies by calculating which had the most collisions per 10,000 miles. They are ranked as followed:
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Werner Enterprises .0056: 960 collisions in a 2-year period in which it traveled 855 million miles
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Swift Transportation .0045: 1500 collisions in 2 years
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U.S. Xpress .0046: U.S. 1448 collisions in nearly double the distance
Though these are the trucking companies with the most accidents, it is important to realize there are many other factors that contribute to safety when it comes to truck accidents. The largest trucking companies are not necessarily the worst trucking companies when it comes to safety, but they definitely can be. The factors that contribute to truck driver accidents can affect any trucking company no matter the size. That’s why it is important for commuters like you to understand what contributes to these crashes so you can avoid them.
The Cost of Long Hours and Demanding Schedules
With these startling statistics comes the question, “Why do so many truck accident occur?” Shockingly, many trucking accidents are indirectly caused by the difficult nature of the job and employer expectations of truck drivers.
Long hours combined with a need to meet job requirements mean that many truck drivers often push themselves to maximize their performance. Unfortunately, this often comes at a human cost — both for the truck driver and other individuals on the road. Drivers are not robots, and sometimes they miss things, especially when they are fatigued or rushing to meet time restrictions.
What Numbers May Not Show
While the numbers gathered above do show some key statistics, it is definitely not an all-inclusive list that determines which truck companies have the most number of accidents.
Amazon is one such example; the company is not listed in the statistics provided above. However, this doesn’t mean that the company is not one of the main sources of truck accidents. In a recent article, we discussed a string of recent Amazon Prime truck accidents, many of which were shown to have been caused by heavy demands put on drivers by the truck company.
Amazon and other commercial truck companies are able to avoid listing the number of accidents involved with their own companies. Why? They list their drivers as independent contractors versus actual employers. This means that they do not have to report their numbers to agencies like the Department of Transportation. As a result, there could be other commercial truck companies that are just as dangerous but are nearly impossible to sort by the numbers.
Obtaining a Trucking Accident Attorney
Unfortunately, many trucking companies feel invincible. Big trucking companies have teams of experts available that will fight hard to limit company liability in the event of a truck collision. This can leave injured individuals unsure of where to turn and how to go about seeking compensation for their damages.
If this is the case for you or a loved one, the truck accident attorneys at Shevlin Smith are here to stand in your corner. Truck accidents cause some of the most severe collisions on the road and can leave you or your family with potential damages related to:
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Medical bills
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Lost wages
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Property damage
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Emotional injuries
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Catastrophic injuries
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Wrongful death
Our team has seen far too many innocent lives lost and impacted by the results of devastating truck accidents. We will determine what your or your family’s full damages are and fight hard for your rights to maximum compensation so you can focus on healing.
If you’re located in Virginia or the D.C. area, reach out to our firm at 703-721-4233 to schedule your free consultation.