3 Global Truck Accident Hotspots To Be Aware Of
Every year, approximately 500,000 trucking accidents occur in the USA alone. The global tally is exponentially higher. While a large percentage of truck accidents can be attributed to driver error and vehicle malfunction, there is another common cause of truck accidents: the road.
All across the globe, there are a number of roads that are particularly dangerous for truck drivers to navigate. From the Trans-Siberian Highway in Russia to Brazil’s Highway of Death, here’s a closer look at three of the most dangerous roads for trucks in the world.
The Trans-Siberian Highway is a known accident hotspot
Every year, more than 26,500 people die on the roads of Russia. Many of these road accidents involve trucks making their way along the Trans-Siberian Highway. The highway is not only one of the world’s longest highways; it's also one of the most dangerous. The 6,800-mile highway stretches from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, with road surfaces ranging from well-maintained to unpaved dirt track. The highway snakes it way through forests, mountains and deserts, and is especially treacherous on wet and icy days. While truckers are fully aware of the risk they take by traveling on the road, they are left with very few alternatives. Expert driving skills, well-maintained vehicles, and a healthy dose of courage are undoubtedly needed to navigate this network of highways as safely as possible. Plus, the extensive route often requires drivers to navigate through numerous Truck Blind Spots, which significantly increases the likelihood of accidents.
Alaska sees more than its fair share of trucking accidents
The Dalton Highway stretches from Fairbanks to Deadhorse on Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. Apart from being one of the most famous trucking roads in the country, the 414-mile highway is also one of the most dangerous. Prudhoe Bay is the epicenter of Alaska’s oil production, and the industry constantly needs to be restocked with materials and equipment. Due to this, truckers make their way along the route despite the road surface being covered with snow and ice almost year-round. Apart from the hazardous road surfaces, the sheer solitude of the area also poses a great danger. Between Coldfoot and Deadhorse, there is no service for nearly 239 miles. In fact, the route is so notoriously dangerous for truck drivers that a TV show, Ice Road Truckers, was created about it. With truck accidents being so common in the area, working with a truck accident lawyer in the event of an accident will be of great benefit and bring drivers the necessary expertise to navigate legal issues.
The Highway of Death has earned its name
The BR-116 highway in Brazil has been nicknamed the ‘Rodovia da Morte’ (Highway of Death) with very good reason. The 2,700-long highway runs from Fortaleza all the way to Jaguarão, and is the scene of countless truck accidents every year. This is not surprising, considering that, out of all the roads in the country, the BR-116 has the highest concentration of trucks traveling along with it at any given time. When you couple large numbers of tired truckers with the uneven, dangerous terrain, disaster is bound to ensue. The section of the highway that stretches between Sao Paulo and Curitiba is believed to be the most dangerous, as some parts are unpaved and run along the edges of very steep cliffs.
Being a trucker is a noble yet risky career choice. This is particularly true for those truckers navigating some of the most dangerous roads in the world.