The most important variable in commercial vehicle accidents is that there is a huge disparity between the sizes of regular passenger cars and commercial vans or semi-trucks. Thus in the event of a crash, the other driver is usually more likely to sustain a serious injury and suffer economic losses as well. Numbers alone are enough to show just how devastating and destructive truck accidents are. The same goes for commercial vans. The prevalence of commercial vehicle accidents in the records of traffic crashes can be explained by the tight schedules of transport companies.
Drivers are usually in a rush to get things done and thus may act neglectfully, leading to an accident. This article will list the important statistics and numbers to show you just how common these commercial vehicle accidents are in New Orleans. But before we go on and explain the details, you should know that in such cases, timely action is necessary – you should not delay seeking legal counsel from an experienced accident attorney from our firm.
Now, on to the numbers and stats showing the prevalence of commercial vehicle accidents:
A Breakdown Of New Orleans Accident Statistics
A mere glimpse at the records and numbers pointing towards the prevalence of accidents for pedestrians, motorcyclists, passenger vehicle drivers, and commercial drivers can be enough to give you a chill running down your spine. Things are bad, no matter how you look at them, and even if you feel completely safe, it is only a matter of minor negligence from someone on the road, and things will turn sour before you know it. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Traffic Safety Data Report from 2019 indicated very disturbing facts in this regard:
- In total, there were 44,551 traffic accidents in the state of Louisiana
- These crashes resulted in 72,582 people getting hurt
- 6,297 accidents were reported from Orleans Parish alone
- These crashes led to 10,407 people getting hurt
For the following year, January-September, 2020, the traffic safety data shed light on more shocking facts:
- 24,501 crashes happened in total throughout Louisiana
- These auto accidents resulted in 39,220 people getting seriously injured
- For Orleans Parish, the number of traffic accidents was 2,981 in total
- This caused severe injuries to 4,860 people
These numbers help us understand that traffic accident prevalence is quite high on average for New Orleans, and thus the frequency of commercial vehicle accident cases is also high enough. Data offered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), going as back as 2009, gives some perspective about how likely commercial truck accidents (even a fatal truck accident) are in general and for Louisiana in specific:
- Large commercial trucks were involved in no less than 296,000 road accidents throughout the USA in 2009 alone
- Of these, no less than 4,000 crashes were fatal accidents
- 74,000 accidents resulted in serious bodily injury to the victims
- In Louisiana alone, there were 3,500 accidents involving trucks in 2009
- Of these, at least 100 were fatal crashes
- 3,000 of these accidents resulted in injuries to people
- Moreover, it was noted that 81% of all deadly truck crashes were multiple-vehicle accidents
- In contrast, this figure for regular cars was only 58%
How Does New Orleans Compare With Other Parishes In Louisiana Regarding Truck Accidents?
Time and again, New Orleans has been ranked as the most dangerous parish in all of Louisiana with regard to trucking accident probability, and this is because the parish has abundant one-way roads, many bridges, and roads without shoulders.
Several other factors also complicate matters:
- Driver negligence
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Commercial driver fatigue
- Reckless driving
- Inadequate training (to commercial drivers)
- Failing to uphold the duty of care
- Driving under the influence of alcohol
Of course, all of this translates into the proportion of commercial vehicle crashes as well.
Injured Parties In New Orleans Crashes
The injured parties (accident victims) for any accident can be categorized into three distinct groups: drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. The Traffic Safety Data Report from 2019 used the same three categories to show how many people from each group were injured in a car crash. The numbers for 2019 are as follows:
- 6,677 injured people were drivers
- 3,304 passengers also got seriously injured
- 426 instances of injuries were observed in pedestrians
For the next year (January-September, 2020), the figures were as follows:
- 3,242 drivers also got seriously injured
- 1,467 instances of injuries were observed in passengers
- 151 injured people were pedestrians
Overall, drivers (both regular and commercial truck drivers) are by far the most at-risk group when it comes to traffic accidents in general, and commercial vehicle crashes as well. Moreover, despite the restrictions set in place during the pandemic, the crash statistics did not dip as much as was expected. Thus the seriousness of the matter can’t be understated in any account.
What To Do After A Commercial Vehicle Accident
Lawyers always recommend immediate action on the part of the truck accident victim if they wish to secure fair compensation; you must act on the spot and complete a couple of preliminary things. An experienced truck accident lawyer will highlight stuff like:
- Take photographs of the accident scene
- Gather firsthand evidence of the incident
- Seek contact information of all witnesses you come across
- Make videos to record additional information
- Record the details of all people involved
- Note down the license plate number, the details of the truck driver, and their insurance provider
- Avoid saying sorry or admitting guilt, even in part
- Record the extent of truck accident damages
- Seek medical attention
- Get diagnosed for your condition
- Gather your medical records
- Keep a record of all of your medical expenses (medical bills) at hand
- Keep a track record of all of your financial losses
- Record your pain and suffering in a journal
- Seek legal consultation for validation purposes from a truck accident attorney
- Approach the insurance companies (of the responsible parties) for compensation
Make sure that you do as proscribed by legal experts, and if this is not the case, make sure you inform your truck accident lawyers about where you failed to uphold your responsibilities.
Bottom Line
After assessing the degree of damage and completing the preliminary steps, your top priority should be to seek legal consultation from professional personal injury attorneys. The details of all motor vehicle accidents are different and the most prudent course would be to get a fair assessment of your situation from experienced lawyers and then act accordingly.
Economic and non-economic losses in commercial vehicle accidents can be staggering, and you should strategize with your accident attorneys to get fairly compensated. The details we shared in this article are meant to inform and warn our readers about the dangers of commercial automobile accidents and we sincerely hope that something good will come out of this information.
Feel free to contact Wright & Gray Law Firm for free legal consultation, legal representation against all the liable parties, and timely legal action without any advance payments (contingency fee basis) in your case.