Some residents of Wisconsin may have experience with truck accidents. While any form of crash has the potential to be dangerous, truck accidents tend to involve more vehicles and may in general be more deadly for other motorists.

Commercial companies may sometimes pressure drivers to work more than they’re physically capable of doing. For example, although laws exist to limit the amount of time a truck driver spends at the wheel, drivers may receive incentives for pushing themselves farther than others with respect to their shipment deadlines. These sorts of situations have the potential to overly fatigue the driver and lead them to be less cautious or aware on the road than they otherwise would be. Since 81 percent of fatal truck accidents involve multiple vehicle crashes, this can be quite dangerous for other motorists.

Statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report that 3,921 people were killed in accidents with trucks in 2012, a 4 percent increase from the number of truck accident fatalities in 2011. There were also 104,000 injured in similar crashes. In terms of both truck accident fatalities and injuries, most of those that suffered bodily harm were not in the truck itself, but rather occupants of other vehicles. The NHSTA’s data suggests that as many as 73 percent of 2012 truck accident fatalities were occupants of other vehicles involved.

Someone who has been involved in a truck accident may wish to have their situation reviewed by an attorney. In some cases, the company that owns the truck may itself be liable for a plaintiff’s injuries or the wrongful death of their loved one, particularly if an investigation finds that they failed to adhere to established safety guidelines. An attorney may be able to expedite the transfer of any restitution that is ultimately awarded.