Tennessee drivers may be used to sharing the roadways with tractor trailers on a regular basis. However, they may begin to notice an increase in the number of tractor trailers they see on the road. As the American economy continues to grow, more tractor trailers are needed to distribute products across the state and throughout the country. In fact by 2025, the trucking industry could see a 23.5 percent increase in freight amounts, according to the American Trucking Association. While this may be good news for U.S. trucking companies, it could put motorists at an increased risk of being involved in a large truck accident.
The number of people killed in large truck accidents in the U.S. has increased since 2009, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. From 3,211 deaths in 2009 to 3,906 fatalities in 2013, motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks continue to take the lives of innocent motorists. Passenger vehicle drivers are usually the ones who are seriously injured in a tractor trailer collision, as their size and weight are considerably larger.
With more tractor trailers needed to distribute freight, some trucking companies are having difficulties keeping up with demand. According to Bloomberg Business, qualified and experienced truckers are getting harder to come by. In order to compensate for the shortage, some companies are scheduling truckers to driver overtime in violation of federal law. In turn, distracted, drowsy, drunk and otherwise reckless truckers are more likely to cause a catastrophic collision that could injure or kill others.
In order to avoid becoming the next victim of a negligent truck driver, motorists should learn how to share the road safely with large trucks.