According to the Semi Truck, Tractor Trailer, and Commercial Vehicle accidents report released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 2010 was one of the worst years for truckers and those who crossed their path.
Last year, 5,000 people lost their lives and some 100,000 were injured in crashes involving this type of vehicles, compared to the 3,200 deaths recorded in 2009. And the outlook is even worse, says the IIHS, as more new trucks will hit the roads in the years to come.
Once out on the highways, the institute reckons, the trucks will have to comply by the now decrepit rules and regulations applying to them. For something to chance, IIHS believes the US in general and the Department of Transportation should focus more on toughening the legislation, especially in truck crowded states like California, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Arizona.
"We have seen a large increase in plaintiffs seeking a lawsuit cash advance for commercial vehicle accidents recently. The problem is alarming since the more accidents that continue to occur, the more lawsuits are then filed, and the more backed up the court systems get,” said Dave Kole, CEO of Legal-Bay, a law firm which takes care of semi truck accident victims.
"It is a problem for everyone across the board, since insurance companies in these types of cases are very slow to settle."
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