10 dead after semi-truck hits a bus filled with students

A fatal collision on interstate 5 in Northern California yesterday left at least 10 people dead and dozens more injured. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were a total of 3,921 fatal truck accidents and 104,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks in the U.S. in 2012, the last year for which statistics are available. A total of 317,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes during 2012.

An increase in truck-related highway fatalities recorded by the NHTSA in 2012 versus 2011 is firing renewed debate regarding the industry’s safety profile. This latest deadly crash raises even more concerns.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what caused the FedEx semi-truck to cross the median into on-coming traffic and crash head-on into a charter bus filled with high school students traveling to visit a local university. The crash left the bus engulfed in flames. The drivers of both the truck and the bus were among those killed, according to California Highway Patrol. Three adult chaperones and five teenage students also died.

According to the NHTSA, From 2009 to 2012, the number of fatal car accidents involving large trucks increased by just over 18 percent overall. During the same period, the number of truck accidents resulting in injury increased by a shocking 42 percent. In 2012, large trucks accounted for 8% of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes.

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of these truck crash numbers is that the number of trucks on our highways has actually decreased in recent years. From 2009 to 2011, the number of large trucks registered in the U.S. declined by just over six percent. In addition, the total number of miles traveled by large trucks declined by about seven percent over this same period.

Although one of the most significant factors in these sorts of accidents is truck driver fatigue, the accident in California happened early in the evening around 5:30 p.m., while it was still light out. The NHTSA reported that in 2012, 78% of the fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred on weekdays. Of those weekday fatal crashes, 72% occurred during the daytime hours of 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.

Other important statistics reported by the NHTSA for 2012 includes large trucks were more likely to be involved in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash as apposed to a fatal single vehicle crash than were passenger vehicles. 81% of fatal crashes involving large trucks are multiple-vehicle crashes, compared to 58% for fatal crashes involving passenger vehicles.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident, the Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys can fight for you. Call Dan Munley and the Munley team at 855-866-5529.