Northwestern Indiana Truck Accident Statistics: Fatigued, Reckless & Distracted Truckers

Did you know that Northwestern Indiana’s Lake County and Porter County contain some of the busiest trucking corridors in the nation? Or that the sheer volume of big rigs and 18-wheelers on I-80, I-94, I-294 and I-65 mean that there are hundreds of serious truck accidents and truck accident injuries in this area each year?

The Northwestern Indiana Times recently analyzed data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding truck accidents in the area that took place between 2000 and 2008. The results were shocking; there were just over 8,000 heavy truck accidents in the area and 218 deaths.

Here are a few more Northwestern Indiana truck accident facts and statistics from the report:

• On average, there were just over two commercial truck or bus accidents in the area per day over the eight-year period.
• 77 percent of Northwestern Indiana truck crashes took place on dry pavement and with good weather conditions. Most truck accidents also took place during the day.
• It takes an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer 230 feet to come to a complete stop if it is going 55 miles per hour.
• 1,691 truck accidents were recorded along the I-80/I-94 segment of interstate located in Gary, Indiana, during the eight-year period. Forty people died in those accidents, including both truckers and other drivers and passengers.

When Indiana State Police were asked about what can be done about these high numbers of truck accidents and truck accident deaths in the area, they stressed that drivers should be more aware of just how massive tractor-trailers are – and why that makes them more dangerous to share the road with. Passenger car drivers should know that it can take a significant amount of time for trucks to slow down or stop, and that getting hit by a truck involves significantly more force.

In addition, police added that a large number of truck accidents involved fatigued or distracted drivers – both the drivers of the truck and the drivers of other vehicles. Being alert and awake while on these crowded, worn highways can go a long way toward big rig crash prevention.

If you have been injured in a Northwestern Indiana truck accident, be sure that you protect your rights and get the compensation that you deserve. Contact Keller & Keller LLP to schedule a free, private meeting with an Indiana truck crash attorney.




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