How Dangerous are Pickup Truck Accidents?

Pickup trucks are incredibly useful, especially if you live in a rural area, have kids, or need to haul things on a regular basis. Pickup trucks are also often viewed as being safer due to their structure and size. Unfortunately, however, even drivers and passengers in pickup trucks are not immune from the dangers of an auto accident.

At Embry Law Truck Accidents, we regularly help clients who are injured in accidents involving a pickup truck. Occupants of trucks are just as vulnerable to injuries as those of other vehicles. Because pickup trucks are larger and heavier, they also tend to cause more damage when they collide with other vehicles, which makes them more dangerous to occupants of smaller vehicles, such as sedans or coupes.

Are Pickup Trucks Dangerous?

Most people don’t know that pickup trucks were exempt from federal safety regulations until 1999. Prior to that, manufacturers were not required to install airbags, antilock brakes, or other safety features that are now common. Now, all pickup trucks must have these safety features, as well as side-impact airbags and additional safety measures.

Even with advances in pickup truck safety, there are still potential hazards that could impact drivers and occupants of other vehicles. For example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that pickup trucks are three times more likely to roll over in an accident than other vehicles.

Pickup trucks are manufactured in a way that makes them rigid. That means the structure won’t collapse as easily in a collision. However, the force of the collision is then transferred into the passenger area, which puts drivers and occupants at a higher risk of injury or death.

Also, because of their rigid design, pickup trucks that collide with smaller vehicles may have minimal damage, while the smaller vehicle could be totaled. In fact, pickup trucks are more than 200-times more likely to cause fatal injuries than other vehicles.

Pickup Truck Accident Statistics

To answer the question of why and how pickup truck accidents are more dangerous, let’s also look at some statistics.

• In 2020, there were more than 149 million light trucks on U.S. roadways.
• Around 75% of all rollover accidents involve pickup trucks.
• In 2020, 41% of rollover accidents involving a pickup truck were fatal.
• In 2020, occupants of light trucks were three times less likely to die as occupants of passenger cars in accidents involving both.
• In 2020, there were 10,352 pickup truck occupant fatalities. There were 13,472 passenger car occupant fatalities.
• Across the U.S., occupants of pickup trucks wear their seatbelts only 69% of the time.

These statistics show that pickup trucks themselves can be more dangerous if an accident occurs, due to the size and manufacturing. However, they also show that occupants of pickup trucks are also not invulnerable to the devastation of a collision or rollover accident.

Causes of Pickup Truck Accidents in Georgia

In Georgia, pickup truck drivers face the same roadway challenges as other drivers. Metro Atlanta is full of multi-lane roadways and daily gridlock. As you get further from the Metro area, drivers face other hazards like curves, steep inclines, and wildlife.

Unfortunately, the most common causes of pickup truck accidents in Georgia remain to be driver error or negligence. The common causes we see at Embry Law Truck Accidents include:

• Distracted Driving
• Drunk Driving
• Speeding
• Aggressive Driving
• Failure to Yield at Intersections
• Failing to Stop at Traffic Lights
• Improper Stops at Stop Signs
• Driver Fatigue

Accidents caused by any of these factors are preventable, and those who are injured by driver negligence may be eligible for compensation.

Have You Been Injured in a Pickup Truck Accident?

Pickup truck occupants and drivers of other vehicles who are injured due to the negligence of a pickup truck driver may be eligible for compensation. Driver negligence is never acceptable, and drivers who break the law and endanger others should be held accountable.

If you or someone you love was injured in a pickup truck accident, contact Embry Law Truck Accidents today. With a free consultation, we can advise you of your rights and the options you may have to pursue compensation. A successful claim could help you recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.