When we think of truck safety, our minds often conjure images of highway pile-ups or dramatic jackknife accidents. We rarely consider the everyday threats that exist when pedestrians and massive commercial vehicles share the same space. Yet, it's at these intersections—both literal and figurative—where some of the most devastating crashes occur.
The Shocking Statistics
In 2022 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 672 pedestrians and cyclists lost their lives in crashes involving large trucks. This number represents a 6% increase from the previous year, and, shockingly, is the highest death toll in the last 40 years.
What makes these crashes so deadly is that trucks are very large, humans are relatively small, and nothing on the truck prevents it from barreling over a person.
But what makes these fatal truck crashes horrific is that they are predictable and preventable.
In 2021, 1 in 6 people who died in all preventable fatal crashes were pedestrians.
2022 did not fare much better:
- Most pedestrians' fatal encounters with large trucks occur at night (78%)
- Most of these occur in urban areas (85%)
- Nearly 1 out of every 4 pedestrians killed (24%) were killed by hit-and-run drivers
Referrals & Co-Counsel
Involved in a Crash?
No other law firm knows trucks quite like us. Our trucking law expertise and trial experience allow us to win multi-million-dollar results year after year.
Our team of truck accident attorneys works tirelessly to help your family find justice in the wake of a catastrophic truck crash.
Referrals & Co-Counsel
No other law firm knows trucks quite like us. Our trucking law expertise and trial experience allow us to win multi-million-dollar results year after year.
Involved in a Crash?
Our team of truck accident attorneys works tirelessly to help your family find justice in the wake of a catastrophic truck crash.
Reducing the Trucking Risk for Pedestrians
There is a simple and effective solution: Protective guards at the rear and sides of trailers and single-unit trucks, which can deflect vulnerable road users from passing under them.
But the trailer manufacturing industry and single-unit truck manufacturing industry will not install them without a mandate. The federal government’s chief traffic safety regulator, NHTSA, has resisted requiring it, due to the trucking industry’s influence with the agency.
Still, nothing is stopping trailer and single-unit truck manufacturers from voluntarily installing these guards nor freight carriers from ordering trailers equipped with them.
Fatality Figure
Large trucks had the highest percentages of right-side, left-side, and rear impacts in pedestrian fatalities compared to other vehicle types.
Why Is This Happening?
Pedestrians can be killed by trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles in any part of the U.S. However, it’s most likely to happen in urban areas because urban development has brought more trucks into densely populated areas.
Due to the rise of e-commerce, there is more delivery traffic on residential streets than ever before.
Large vehicles driving on narrow streets and making sharp turns create a dangerous scenario for pedestrians. The blame isn’t always on the driver, though. It takes care and vigilance to operate heavy vehicles in high-traffic areas and many truck drivers take their responsibilities seriously; we should not discredit the drivers who serve our communities just because there are a handful of companies that don't.
Unfortunately, when these aforementioned companies cut corners on safety and hire unsafe drivers who do not understand the tremendous responsibility of driving a commercial vehicle—whether it’s a city bus, semi, or truck –pedestrians pay the price – often with their lives – for company negligence.
None have installed guards under their truck trailers or single-unit trucks. Guards that are specifically designed to protect people from being trampled when trucks and pedestrians collide. The companies know better, but they have chosen not to invest in fatality prevention.
Crash. Not Accident.
The word “accident” is often used to describe devastating truck crashes. Many people in need of legal help will search for a “truck accident lawyer near me” or the “best truck accident attorney”. We even use "accident" in our site name.
However, most truck “accidents” are not accidents at all.
Truck crashes are often caused by distracted, fatigued, poorly trained, or downright dangerous truck drivers and/or the unsafe business practices of the trucking companies and brokers that hired them. Every semi-truck accident lawyer at The Law Firm for Truck Safety is committed to helping those who have been irreparably harmed in commercial vehicle crashes and providing education to the public that crashes are not accidents.
The Role of Legal Advocacy
If you’ve lost a loved one to these tragic circumstances, you know that bringing responsible parties to justice is vital.
As legal professionals who specialize in truck accident cases, the attorneys at The Law Firm for Truck Safety understand the complex factors that contribute to pedestrian and truck crashes. We know that the federal government commissioned research showing that nearly all of these trucking deaths are preventable if only the trucking companies would install guards designed to prevent them. But when the government fails to mandate safety and companies neglect to invest in it, the only resort families have is to hire tough lawyers.
At The Law Firm for Truck Safety, our goal is to help families and survivors fight for their rights and hold negligent parties accountable.
What if You're Involved in a Truck on Pedestrian Crash?
If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash involving a large truck:
1. Seek immediate medical attention.
2. Document everything – take photos, gather witness information, and keep all medical records.
3. Don't accept any settlement offers from the trucking company or their insurers before getting a second opinion --ideally from an experienced truck crash lawyer.
4. Contact an experienced truck accident law firm like The Law Firm for Truck Safety to protect your rights and ensure you receive fair compensation.
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Truck Accidents Affect Everyone
Trucks and pedestrians may always share spaces, but with awareness, action, and advocacy, we can work toward making those places safe for people who travel by foot.
As we recognize National Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month, it's crucial to broaden our conversation about truck safety to include vulnerable road users (pedestrians and bicyclists).
True road safety goes beyond preventing collisions between vehicles. It also means creating an environment where everyone—regardless of their mode of transportation—can navigate our streets safely.
