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A Truck Driver’s History of Safety Violations Predicts Future Crash Risk

Texas 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer | Trucker Safety Violations Predict Crash Risk

New research suggests truckers with a history of safety violations are far more likely to be involved in a future truck or 18-wheeler accident than their counterparts who maintain a clean driving record.

4 Violations Increase Truck Accident Risk by More than 100%

The study, an update to the American Transportation Research Institute’s Predicting Truck Crash Involvement project, identified more than 25 different violations and convictions that increased the likelihood of future commercial trucking crashes, including four that increased the risk by more than 100%:

  • Failure to Yield Right-of-Way violation (141% future crash likelihood increase)
  • Failure to Use / Improper Signal conviction (116% future crash likelihood increase)
  • A prior crash (113% future crash likelihood increase)
  • Reckless Driving violation (104% future crash likelihood increase)

Truck Driver Violations Decreased in Wake of ELD Mandate

The report’s authors also investigated the rate of crashes and violations before the  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandated the use of  Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) for all interstate commercial drivers. They found that between 2018 (the first full year that the ELD Mandate was in effect) and 2022, the number of truckers who experienced a crash decreased by 7.0 percent. The total number of Hours of Service-related violations also decreased by 16.8 percent once the ELD Mandate took effect.

Compared to female truckers, males were significantly more likely to commit 11 behaviors predictive of future crash involvement. However, the study also found that women drivers are considerably less likely to be inspected than their male counterparts.

“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), females represented 6.7 percent of the truck driver workforce in 2019 (the year of inspection data collection), yet females represented only 2.7 percent of the 2019 driver inspection data being used for this year’s analysis,” the report states.

What to Do After a Truck or 18-Wheeler Accident

When a trucker’s unsafe behavior results in an accident, you might assume that the trucking company will do the right thing and fairly compensate you and your family for all the injuries and losses you’ve incurred due to the crash. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. The fact is, the trucking company and its insurer are only interested in avoiding responsibility and paying accident victims as little as possible.

That’s why it’s so critical to take prompt action to protect your rights and your family’s future:

  • Seek immediate medical attention, even if you don’t think you were hurt.
  • Gather as much information as possible while you’re at the scene, including the trucking company’s name, the trucker’s DOT number, license, and insurance information for all vehicles involved, and all witnesses’ names and contact information.
  • When talking to the investigating officers or anyone else at the scene, this is NOT the time to speculate about fault.
  • Notify your insurance company of the crash, even if you’re sure you weren’t at fault.
  • Don’t speak with the trucking company’s insurance adjuster, sign anything, or agree to give a recorded statement.
  • If you require follow-up care, be sure to attend all medical appointments and comply with your doctor’s advice. Also, keep a record of co-pays and other out-of-pocket costs related to your treatment.

Whatever you do, do not try to negotiate with the trucking company and its insurer on your own. Your best course of action is to hire an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer with a proven history of success against the largest truck and transportation companies in the country.

Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult or Click Here.

Our Undefeated Truck and 18-Wheeler Accident Attorneys have won Billions — including Record-Breaking Verdicts and Settlements — for thousands of crash victims throughout Texas, Louisiana, and across the United States, ensuring our clients and their families receive the maximum compensation possible for all of their injuries and losses.

To hear what clients have to say about their experience with our truck accident lawyers, visit our Client Testimonial page or our firm’s YouTube Channel.

If you have legal questions related to a  serious or fatal truck crash, our attorneys can help. Please call 1-888-603-3636 or click here to send us a confidential email through our “Contact Us” form.

All consultations are free, and because we work for a contingency fee, you won’t owe us anything unless we win your case.