Truck accident statistics: Driver a “trashy” reputation

Pennsylvania residents are probably used to sharing the road with a garbage truck or two throughout an average week. It can be frustrating to get stuck behind one of these vehicles, but drivers may want to think twice before trying to pass around a garbage truck when there is no designated passing area. Certainly, a truck accident could be caused by an impatient driver, but recent statistics reveal that some sanitation drivers are truly a danger to the public. 

Philadelphia is one of Pennsylvania’s largest cities, and a recent peek into accident statistics involving garbage trucks would likely shock many readers. In that city alone, garbage trucks are involved in about 440 accidents per year. It is estimated that in about 2/3 of those accidents, the truck driver was found to be at fault. 

Digging even deeper, reports revealed that one driver in particular had almost 20 accidents in four years. Nearly half were deemed his fault. By comparison, New York City is much more populous but had about half the garbage truck accidents. Frighteningly, in many cases, it seems that these drivers are rarely punished for causing these accidents and usually just have to take a training course. In that one Pennsylvania city alone, garbage truck accidents cost over a million dollars a year in damages. 

These facts remind drivers that a truck accident does not always involve high speeds, heavy traffic, inclement weather or other contributing factors beyond the normal control of a truck driver. A truck accident victim may be burdened with lingering injuries, medical bills, loss of wages due to inability to work and other unfortunate circumstances. When a truck driver is at fault, a victim may want to take legal action. In such a situation, there is no need to complete the legal process alone. A compassionate attorney can lend a helping hand and help a victim fight for justice in a court of law.