Driving a commercial truck is a risky job

Truck drivers have a big responsibility to safely transport products across the country, and they often do so on a tight deadline.

Navigating these large vehicles on city streets and highways is difficult, and traffic accidents are common. Some drivers have to load and unload heavy goods, and climb around on the rigs to cover loads, inspect the gear, and perform maintenance tasks. There are many ways for a truck driver to get hurt at work!

Crash facts

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, around 23% of traffic crashes involving large trucks result in injuries and 1% of the crashes are fatal. Most of the fatal accidents involve a truck and one other motor vehicle. The majority of accidents occur on weekdays between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M.

A common cause of fatal accidents is when another vehicle or object intrudes into the truck’s lane. In about 23% of fatal crashes, the truck driver lost control or experienced another driving issue. Common vehicle-related factors of crashes are tires and other working vehicles.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding by automobile operators, are another major factor in crashes.

Serious injuries can be life changing

But drivers often get injured when the truck is not even in motion. Truck drivers often suffer from a variety of serious injuries including broken bones, torn tendons in the knee or shoulder, traumatic brain injuries – even loss of a limb – which can end a driving career in an instant.

Call Us Before You Give a Statement!

If you sustain a serious injury at work, get the first aid you need, report your accident and injury to your employer, and then call us for some free advice on how to properly file and start your workers’ compensation claim.

The “recorded statement” that will be requested the first time you talk to the insurance company is a trap for you – insurance investigators have been trained to find a reason to not pay your claim. So the questions you will be asked were designed to allow you to talk yourself right out of a good claim!

Get free advice from us before you fall into that trap. Truck drivers work hard and we enjoy helping them get the workers’ compensation benefits that they deserve!