Interstate vs rural road: Where are more people killed by trucks?

Indiana has a number of major interstate highways. This is where drivers are most likely to share the road with large commercial trucks. Responsible drivers are cautious around these massive vehicles because they know the very real risks of a fatal crash. They also know that those most likely to be killed are people in the smaller vehicle.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2020. Indiana ranked ninth in the country in the percentage of fatal crashes that involved large trucks – at 11.8%. What may be more surprising is where these crashes are occurring.

People might reasonably assume that they occur on interstates and other busy highways with high speed limits and considerable commercial truck traffic. However, that’s not the case.

In fact, motorists are more likely to be killed in a truck crash on rural roads — which are also plentiful throughout Indiana. According to NHTSA, in 2022, over half (54%) of fatal large truck crashes were on rural roads. Nearly three-quarters (74%) were on non-interstate roads.

The dangers or rural roads

Rural roads are more dangerous places to encounter commercial trucks for a number of reasons. For example:

• There are fewer and narrower lanes.
• Passing is more dangerous.
• Speed is often a problem on sparsely traveled roads
• These roads are often far from medical facilities and take longer for first responders to reach.

In addition to dealing with the catastrophic and often fatal injuries suffered in a crash with a commercial truck, victims and families often find themselves battling with large companies that try to pass the blame off on another party or even the victim. That’s why having experienced legal guidance from the beginning is crucial to getting justice and compensation.