Fort Walton Beach Personal Injury Law Blog

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released its report on fatal car crashes for 2017, and it appears that fatalities went down in every type of accident except in large truck crashes. This should give some Florida residents cause for concern. There may be multiple reasons for this trend, but the report focuses instead on the statistics.

The total number of people killed in traffic accidents went down 1.8 percent from 37,806 to 37,133. Passenger vehicle, motorcycle and pedestrian fatalities saw 1.4, 3.1 and 1.7 percent declines, respectively. The greatest difference was made in speeding-related crash deaths (down by 5.6 percent) and cyclist deaths (down by 8.1 percent).

Because of the large size and heavy weight of semitrailers, Florida readers know accidents involving these types of vehicles can result serious injuries or death. Collisions are often caused by reckless or negligent truck drivers, and these types of motor vehicle crashes are on the rise. In fact, there are some who believe the government should work to reduce the number of truck collisions.

The number of fatal truck accidents is growing at a rapid rate in comparison to other types of crashes. In 2016, 4,300 people died in accidents involving semitrailers. Despite these startling numbers, there are few who seem outraged over the apparent problem. Many think that the trucking industry and federal agencies should take action.

The 2018 International Roadcheck took place between June 5 and 7. Truckers and truck fleet owners throughout Florida and the rest of North America were potentially subject to the annual inspection spree, which was conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

More than 67,500 commercial vehicles were inspected during the International Roadcheck. Out of that number, exactly 11,897 trucks and buses and 2,664 drivers were put out of service. About 45,400 of the inspections were Level I inspections -- the most comprehensive ones possible. Roughly 22 percent of these Level I inspections resulted in a vehicle's out-of-service order, and 3.9 percent of Level I, II and III inspections resulted in such an order for the driver. About 44 percent of all driver out-of-service orders involved violations of the hours-of-service regulations. HOS compliance was, incidentally, the focus of the 2018 Roadcheck. On the other hand, less than 2 percent of drivers' out-of-service orders were for HOS violations.

As Florida readers know, the state is in the midst of its rainy season. This means that powerful thunderstorms roll through on a near daily basis, which can cause dangerous conditions on area roadways. Here are a few basic safety tips to help drivers successfully weather the storms.

One of the most common causes of rain-related car accidents is hydroplaning, which occurs when a vehicle's tires are separated from the road by a thin layer of water. If this layer of water becomes too thick, the tires could lose all traction, causing the vehicle to slide out of control. In addition, oil residue on the road can mix with rainwater and make conditions even more slippery.