How Many Traffic Accidents Do You Pass By On The Road?

Just starting out, I have seen at least one fender bender every time I have been driving down the road in practice. Statistically that would seem a bit excessive, so maybe its just me? Not that my rig was at all involved (other than having to steer around the wreckage).

Yup...the bottom line for all drivers in any kind of truck is A. be aware of whats around you B. Watch your following distance, if 4 wheelers pass you and fill up your safe following zone, slow down and get another one. C. remember that in ANY truck trailer combo, panic brake application is gonna be bad.

And one of the most important things that is seldom mentioned, in or out of CDL school....the difference in the front of trucks when it comes to forward movement wrecks. We always had trucks with a big Texas Bumper. Why you ask ?? well, they really look good...But for me, its ta safety factor. If you for any reason end up hitting something(like a car) with the front of your truck, those Texas bumpers are worth their weight in gold. With a common truck with all the plastic up front, when you hit a car, all the plastic shatters, leaving you running OVER the car. With a truck wearing a Texas bumper, when you hit a car, it pushes the car...you won't ever run up and over it. For me, atleast, its a safety thing. I have never in my 47 years of driving things that moved, have never had an accident involving another vehicle. I'd rather push a car until we stopped, than hit it, have my plastic front end disintegrate, then run right up over the car. The damage isn't as bad, and those Texas bumpers have saved alot of lives thru the years...just food for thought.....companies don't like them because they are a little heavy, where plastic is cheaper and lighter.

I am now looking into the stats on fuel tanker fatalities (wondering if it is worth the risk), but here are some general data on truck wrecks (not the most up to date, though it may be typical):

In tractor trailer accidents, 98% of fatalities occur to the individuals in the passenger vehicles. In 2008, the preliminary national crash facts were as follows:

123,918 large trucks and 13,263 buses involved in non-fatal crashes

49,084 large trucks and 7,123 buses involved in injury crashes

73,047 injuries in crashes involving large trucks and 16,760 injuries in crashes involving buses

74,834 large trucks and 6,140 buses involved in tow-away crashes

2,609 large trucks and 11 buses involved in hazmat (HM) placard crashes

Sixty-eight percent of all fatal truck accidents happened not in cities, but in rural regions.

As high as 66% of all fatal truck accidents occurred in the day as opposed to night; weekends accounted for 78% of the total fatal truck accidents that took place in 2003.

Statistics of Fatal Truck Accidents and Drivers' Negligence

Accidents occurring while a driver is under the influence or while intoxicated are at an epidemic level in the United States. Truck accidents are not exempt from this. Driving under the influence (DUI) is regarded as one of the leading causes of fatal truck accidents today.

This is more like it: Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics

I should be able to gleen an educated guess from there. I was surprised about that rural roads blurb on the other site. I was thinking the less traffic the better.

In my opinion, following distance is the #1 most important safe-driving factor. When you have plenty of time to react, your chances of avoiding a wreck are profoundly greater.

I can't remember the exact stat anymore, but years ago our safety department released a newsletter that said something like 70% of all multi-vehicle accidents could have been avoided if one of the drivers had 1/2 second longer to react.

Another key factor is trying to keep an opening to the side of you - either on the shoulder or another lane of traffic. You want to try to avoid having people ride alongside of you. You need an escape if something goes wrong in front of you and you won't have time to stop before reaching it.

Alot of it would depend on the location, and where you think people drive the craziest. For me, its Atlanta GA...when you take the bypass around that town, those people are really nuts. The cage fender benders don't bother me, other than holding up traffic from the rubber neckers. But it hurts my heart to see one involving a big truck.

Yeah, I don't know, it doesn't happen to me in my car around this area. It must be the instructor's karma...

Star, I understand your sentiments. While trudging through the L.A. traffic last week I came upon an 18 wheeler accident where the truck had crossed through one of those temporary concrete barriers dividing the lanes in a construction area. They completely demolished a four wheeler coming from the other direction. It was a gruesome sight, but my gut just hurt with compassion for the driver. I do not know how he ended up over there, but it almost appeared he was trying to avoid something going on ahead of him.

I am now looking into the stats on fuel tanker fatalities (wondering if it is worth the risk), but here are some general data on truck wrecks (not the most up to date, though it may be typical):

In tractor trailer accidents, 98% of fatalities occur to the individuals in the passenger vehicles. In 2008, the preliminary national crash facts were as follows:

123,918 large trucks and 13,263 buses involved in non-fatal crashes

49,084 large trucks and 7,123 buses involved in injury crashes

73,047 injuries in crashes involving large trucks and 16,760 injuries in crashes involving buses

74,834 large trucks and 6,140 buses involved in tow-away crashes

2,609 large trucks and 11 buses involved in hazmat (HM) placard crashes

Sixty-eight percent of all fatal truck accidents happened not in cities, but in rural regions.

As high as 66% of all fatal truck accidents occurred in the day as opposed to night; weekends accounted for 78% of the total fatal truck accidents that took place in 2003.

Statistics of Fatal Truck Accidents and Drivers' Negligence

Accidents occurring while a driver is under the influence or while intoxicated are at an epidemic level in the United States. Truck accidents are not exempt from this. Driving under the influence (DUI) is regarded as one of the leading causes of fatal truck accidents today.

Oh, and this part too:

Over the years, the number of trucks on U.S. roads has increased to a great extent, but statistics show that the number of deaths due to truck accidents has remained more or less the same – about 5,000 deaths each year. This number is still too high, of course, and efforts must be taken to reduce fatalities as a result of truck accidents.

This is more like it: Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics

I should be able to gleen an educated guess from there. I was surprised about that rural roads blurb on the other site. I was thinking the less traffic the better.

That's an interesting site. I saw that a while back but I had completely forgotten about it.

Yeah, I was also curious as to how many incidents actually involve "new drivers" with a CDL , whether the insurance companies have good reason to require experience (while complacency or overconfidence may not be as likely with them). I would guess that driver age is more of a factor.

The vast majority of preventable accidents with new drivers happen in parking lots - usually when backing into docks or parking spots in truck stops - but also from not being completely aware of all of the things around them like telephone poles, light poles, dividers, etc.