Colorado Truck Accident Statistics

When a commercial truck is involved in an accident, there is a high likelihood that there will be extensive property damage and catastrophic increase for those inside traditional passenger vehicles involved in the incident. But how often do large commercial truck accidents affect Colorado residents? Here, we want to review truck accident statistics for Colorado State.

Overall Truck Accident Statistics

When we examine the information available from the National Safety Council, we can see that there were 4,843 total large trucks involved in fatal collisions in 2020. This represented a 4% decrease from 2019, but that decrease should be looked at skeptically. 2020 was the first year of the pandemic and also when there were significant lockdowns that kept many drivers off the roadway. There is a decent chance that these numbers will rebound and increase when the latest data becomes available.

Large commercial trucks in the US accounted for 9% of every vehicle involved in fatal collisions, even though they only represent 4% of all registered vehicles.

Aside from the slight dip in the number of fatal truck collisions in 2020, the total number of fatal collisions has increased steadily since approximately 2009. When we examine data related to the total number of injury collisions that did not result in a fatality, we can see similar trends. There has been a steady increase since 2009, with a slight dip in 2020.

In the state of Colorado, there were 74 total trucks involved in fatal collisions in 2020. This represented 8.4% of all fatal collisions in the state of Colorado during that year. 

Depending on the area of Colorado where large trucks operate, this state also presents challenges for large truck drivers. Drivers can face long distances of uphill and downhill driving, each of which presents its own difficulties. Additionally, winter weather can adversely affect truck drivers and lead to more dangerous conditions on the roadway.

Why do Large Commercial Truck Accidents Occur?

Accidents involving large commercial trucks occur in a wide variety of ways. Often, these incidents are due to the negligent actions of the truck driver. Some of the most common causes of driver-related truck collisions include:

• Distracted driving
• Impaired driving
• Failing to follow traffic laws
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Following others too closely
• Drowsy driving

However, commercial truck crashes can also be caused by the careless or negligent actions of other parties, including the truck company. Trucking companies are responsible for regularly inspecting and maintaining each vehicle, and failing to do so could lead to vehicle failure. Additionally, these incidents can occur when the cargo on the truck is loaded improperly, which can lead to shifting weight balances and cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Any person involved in a large commercial truck collision needs to speak to a skilled attorney as soon as possible. These claims can become complex, but if the actions of a truck driver or trucking company were responsible for the collision, victims deserve compensation. This can include coverage of medical bills, property damage expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering damages, and more.