The Highway Toll of Truck Accidents in Pennsylvania

Far too often, the news reports on heavy truck accidents referred to as tankers, semis, or big rigs, and how they often occur on the highway or the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Typically, the majority of those crashes result in one or more fatalities and, for survivors, serious injuries.

One tanker accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike resulted in a three-vehicle collision that caused two vehicles to explode into flames. Three ultimately died after a vehicle stopped in the right lane of I-476 to help another driver. The tanker, hauling a load of jet fuel, could not stop in time, slamming into both stopped cars.

How Pennsylvania Ranks in Truck Crashes Nationally

In 2022, there were 168,320 truck crashes nationally, with 4,766 of them involving one or more deaths. Texas ranked first in the top five with the dubious distinction of having the most crashes, followed by California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

Pennsylvania is a surprise when it comes to large trucks on the road. Statistically speaking, the Keystone State is third for the most truckers in the country. Almost 80,000 truck drivers live and work in and out of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has over 250,000 miles of roadway, with just about 2,000 miles included in Pennsylvania’s interstate system, which encompasses I-70, I-76, I-78, I-79, I-80, I-81, I-83, I-84, I-86, I-90, I-95, and I-99.

Pennsylvania truckers haul the following types of products:

• Coal
• Various medications
• Propane – liquified
• Vaccines for human use
• Immunological goods
• Aircraft parts, including engines
• Large piston engine motorcycles
• Palladium – used in three-way catalytic converters
• Large helicopters
• Cell phones

Knowing what they haul indicates just how much heavier the trucks are when they are fully loaded, meaning they can do even more damage if involved in a crash.

Shocking Truck Accident Statistics for 2022

Thirty-two percent of truck wrecks nationally, including Pennsylvania, resulted in injuries in 2022. Of the 168,320 collisions, 54,667 culminated in an injury.

In 2022, there were 5,370 Americans killed on the road in truck crashes. Roughly 17 percent of those killed are occupants of the large truck, but approximately 72 percent of those who died were riding in other vehicles. On average, the percentage of truck accidents that end in a fatality is about 2.4 percent.

In 2022, there were 116,353 semi-truck crashes nationally. Many passenger vehicle drivers equal big rigs or larger commercial trucks with semi-trucks. In reality, the word semi-truck can apply to various models of big rigs on the road.

Roughly 30 percent of semis were involved in accidents in 2022 that resulted in an injury. Approximately 1 in 3 truckers experience a serious accident over the course of their career hauling goods.

When to Seek Help After a Pennsylvania Truck Accident

Most truck accidents result in lawsuits, either personal injury claims or wrongful death claims. In terms of claims going to trial, verdicts, and settlements of slightly under $1 million tend to be relatively common. However, the circumstances of each case do affect the outcome.

The average verdict for a truck accident lawsuit is around $400K in about 95 percent of such cases. This is a figure from 2019. These figures vary depending on the circumstances of each case and the year in which it happened.  

‍If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a Philadelphia truck accident, you may be entitled to significant compensation. At MyPhillyLawyer, we represent those who have been seriously injured in all types of motor vehicle collisions, including semi-truck accidents.

Our skilled team of Philadelphia trial attorneys is comfortable both at the negotiation table as well as in court. We aggressively pursue favorable settlement offers when possible but will not hesitate to take a case to trial if the other side is unwilling to engage in fair negotiations.

To learn more about how we can help you recover compensation for the injuries you have sustained, call 215-227-2727 or toll-free (866) 352-4572. Calling is free, and we will not bill you for our services unless we can help you recover from your injuries.