A recent study from Verizon Connect, a fleet management systems provider, has ranked the states based on how safe they are for work truck drivers. North Carolina residents should know that this state is neither in the top 10 nor the bottom 10: nonetheless, it has been determined that the East Coast is by far the safest region for those in the trucking industry.
The study covered data that spans from October 2015 to September 2017 and records the driver behaviors of more than 6,200 fleet customers. These include small and mid-size businesses with anywhere between 2 and 200 work trucks, including big rigs, pick-ups and light vans. Verizon Connect listed Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New York as the top five safest states. Vermont, in particular, saw the least amount of speeding.
The most dangerous states were Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Kentucky and Mississippi. The Midwest and the South were especially unsafe regions. Speeding was the worst in South Dakota, followed by North Dakota and Montana.
Passenger vehicles are often to blame for making the roads unsafe for truckers. Teletrac Navman held a month-long contest where truckers from across the U.S. expressed their safety concerns. Cutting off trucks, giving too little space for braking, speeding and, alternately, creeping along in a truck’s blind spot were the major issues that truckers noted.
In the event that a commercial truck accident is caused by the negligence of the trucker or the trucking company, victims might be able to file a personal injury claim. A lawyer may evaluate the case, have third-party experts strengthen it with the necessary proof and proceed to negotiations with the trucking company’s own legal representatives. The victim may ultimately be covered for medical expenses, vehicle damage and lost income.