If you think that you have seen more trucking accidents along your travels in Hickory, NC, you’re right. The United States Department of Transportation has released statistics showing road fatalities spiked in 2021.
This is the largest six-month increase ever recorded with an estimated 20,160 fatalities in the first six months of 2021. With over 5 million truck and bus drivers sharing the road with 250 million motorists, accidents can and will happen. When accidents involve large trucks and buses, the injuries can be catastrophic for everyone involved.
How many Trucking Accidents occur in Hickory NC every year?
The five year average for the number of all crashes in Catawba County, North Carolina is 4,811. Across the country, the number of injury crashes involving large trucks or buses increased from 60,000 crashes in 2009 to 127000 crashes in 2019 which is the last year of available data at the time of this article. 182000 people were injured in those large truck and bus crashes in 2019.
We know from the latest data produced by the US Department of Transportation that road fatalities have spiked in the last year, so we can assume that the number of underlying crashes has also increased through present day. For Hickory, NC, that means a likely increase over the five year average of crashes and an increase in the number of serious trucking accidents in Hickory, NC and across Catawba County.
For the year 2019, Catawba County had 5,942 crashes in total and, of those, 1231 involved injury or fatality. Specifically, Catawba County had 161 Tractor Trailer Truck Crashes.
How does Hickory and Catawba County rank in the number of Reported Crashes compared to the rest of North Carolina?
For cities with a population of 10,000 or more, Hickory, North Carolina had the 17th most reported crashes in North Carolina for 2019 which is the last complete year that data is available.
From a county perspective, North Carolina has 100 counties across the state. Catawba County ranks 65th among North Carolina counties which takes into account the number of reported crashes, crash severity, crash rates based on population, the number of registered vehicles, and the estimated vehicle miles traveled.
Why is it important to know Truck Accident Statistics for Hickory North Carolina?
All drivers need to be aware of their surroundings, watch their speed, and avoid distractions. We all rely on one another to be safe drivers so that everyone gets home safely. Truck accident statistics for Hickory NC are important to know so that we remember how quickly inattention, speed, and impairment can turn to tragedy when there is a crash involving a tractor trailer or other commercial vehicle.
In 2019, at least one driver-related factor was recorded for 33 percent of the large truck drivers in fatal crashes, compared to 53 percent of the passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes. “Speeding of Any Kind” was the most frequent driver-related factor for drivers of both vehicle types; “Distraction/Inattention” was the second most common for large truck drivers, and “Impairment (Fatigue, Alcohol, Illness, etc.)” was the second most common for passenger vehicle drivers.
At the Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, we want everyone to get home safely. We want you to be aware of the rising number of crashes in our communities so that we can all be better and more alert drivers when we are out on the roadways of North Carolina. If you live in Hickory, NC, pay special attention to these large trucks and commercial vehicles because a mistake by any driver can have catastrophic consequences when large vehicles and small vehicles collide on the road. If you or someone you love have been injured in an accident, contact our truck accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor P.C. in Hickory, NC.
