Accidents involving tractor-trailers and other oversized vehicles often result in significant property damage and debilitating injury. Mississippi is an especially dangerous place for drivers, with a collision rate well above the national and state averages.
Review the facts about truck and bus accidents in Mississippi from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to learn more about the causes of these incidents.
Looking at fatality rates
The FMCSA compared truck and bus accident fatalities by miles driven across all 50 states. In 2017, the most recent year for which the agency has published data, Mississippi had 112 truck collision deaths. This represents a rate of 0.27 per million miles traveled, the second-highest truck accident fatality rate after Oklahoma (0.28). The average fatality rate across the United States per million truck miles is 0.16.
Understanding contributing factors
In an article in Mississippi Today, a representative from the National Safety Council discussed the reasons for the state’s high auto accident fatality rate. He cited the fact that accident victims in rural areas of the state often experience delays in receiving emergency medical care because of the distance to the nearest hospital.
Speed limits on rural roads are typically higher than those in suburban and city areas, another common cause of serious accidents in Mississippi. Other factors include texting and driving and failure to use seat belts, especially among young drivers in the state.
Use defensive driving techniques to help avoid a serious truck accident injury. For example, give large trucks plenty of space to maneuver on all sides and stay out of blind spots.
