On Monday afternoon, there was a semi truck crash on Interstate 40. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the incident happened near Black Mountain, just before exit 72. Very few details about this truck crash have been released, but we do know that the truck went over an embankment. All eastbound lanes had to be closed as first responders and crews worked the scene. There has been no word on the cause of the crash or if anybody was injured. This tractor-trailer crash could still be under investigation with local law enforcement authorities.
U.S. Large Truck Crash Statistics
- In 2014, 3,908 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks.
- In 2015, 4,067 people were killed in large truck crashes.
- An estimated 116,000 people were injured in large truck crashes in 2015.
- In 2015, 78 percent of fatal crashes involving large trucks happened on weekdays.
Truck Driver Safety Risks
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report about seat belt usage rates for truck drivers and how that relates to other safety risks. According to the CDC, more than one in three truck drivers who died in crashes in 2012 were not buckled up at the time of the crash. Approximately 14 percent of long-haul drivers reported not using seat belts on every trip. The CDC found that not using a seat belt is related to other risks behind the wheel. Of the 6 percent of truck drivers who reported never using a seat belt, 27 percent had at least one moving violation in the past year. 32 percent of them worked for employers without written safety programs, and 37 percent of them lived in a state without a primary seat belt law.
Asheville Truck Accident Lawyer
In addition to not wearing a seat belt, the other two largest safety risks associated with dangerous and preventable truck crashes are drowsy driving and distracted driving. If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a truck accident in Asheville or in any of the nearby Western North Carolina communities, contact the skilled and proven Personal Injury team at Davis Law Group, P.A. at 828-279-7799 for a free case consultation today.