Data reported from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System indicates that the number of traffic deaths related to most types of vehicles dropped between 2016 and 2017. The only vehicle type that had an increase in the number of traffic fatalities was large trucks. Nevada accident victims might be able to recover for damages.
The number of people who died in passenger vehicle crashes, including passenger cars and light trucks, was 23,877 in 2016 and 23,551 in 2017, a drop of 1.4 percent. Motorcycle accident fatalities dropped by 3.1 percent, from 5,337 in 2016 to 5,172 in 2017. The number of pedestrians killed in crashes was also down from 6,080 in 2016 to 5,977 in 2017, and there was an 8.1 percent decline in the number of bicyclist fatalities.
There were more deaths in crashes involving SUVs or large trucks though. Three percent more people died in SUVs in 2017 than 2016, and fatalities in large trucks increased by 16 percent. According to an administrator from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, not all of the large truck accident fatalities involved trucks regulated by the FMCSA. The data categorizes all trucks with a gross weight over 10,000 pounds as large trucks.
The potential for car accidents increases with more vehicles on the road, and a stronger economy means more traveling and more large trucks. In a case where a person dies in a collision with a large truck, his or her family may have claims for wrongful death. A lawyer with experience in personal injury law might be able to help by examining the facts of the collision and identifying parties who could have liability. The claimants might be entitled to compensation for lost companionship, lost wages from the person who died, funeral expenses or other damages.