Why do a majority of truck-car crashes occur on rural roads?

It would seem logical to assume that most collisions between large commercial trucks and passenger vehicles happen on busy highways.

Although there are frequent truck-car crashes on our highways and interstates, FMCSA data shows that many such collisions occur in rural settings.

A little background

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) keeps close track of injury crashes that involve large trucks. From 2015 to 2018, the number of fatal large truck crashes increased by 330%. In 2018, there were nearly 499,000 crashes. Of these police-reported incidents, there were 4,415 fatalities and 107,000 injuries.

Rural dangers

The FMCSA reported that in 2015, nearly 60% of all fatal large truck crashes took place on rural roads, and 25% occurred on urban and rural interstates. Most of the crashes happened on weekdays, but 35% of the fatal crashes and 21% of the injury crashes occurred at night after 6:00 p.m. Highway safety officials explain that people are prone to drive faster on rural roads, often without fastening their seatbelts. In addition, deer and other animals cross the roads, presenting a hazard to drivers.

Compensation goals

In a crash with a big rig, no matter where it occurs, the occupants of a passenger vehicle are most at risk for serious injuries. Many can require a lifetime of care. In submitting a claim for compensation, an injured victim benefits from the help of an advocate experienced with insurance company negotiations. On the victim’s behalf, the goal is to obtain a full and fair settlement with sufficient funds to cover current and future medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and more.