Fatal truck crashes increased nationwide in 2021, and some industry experts say that supply chain pressures are to blame. 

In the first three months of 2021 alone, the number of fatal truck crashes across the United States increased by 10.5% – a statistic that one attorney who specializes in truck safety says might get worse before it gets better, reported PR Newswire.

Attorney Seth D. McCloskey of the Law Offices of Steven Laird PC in Fort Worth, Texas says that an increased pressure on truck drivers in the last few years due to the pandemic may be a large contributor to the increasing number of fatal truck crashes. McCloskey says that recent supply chain pressures may be inspiring trucking companies and truckers alike to put safety on the back burner. 

“We’ve seen an increased demand placed on commercial drivers as a whole,” McCloskey said. “Motor carriers and trucking companies are having a very difficult time keeping up with demand. The pandemic has really played a huge role in this labor shortage.”

“The trucking industry is quite frankly allowing some of this to take place, putting profit over safety,” McCloskey continued. “Safety is taking a backseat at this point in time. That’s the reason we are seeing more and more fatalities and serious injuries on roads in Texas and across the country.” 

“It’s probably going to get worse before it gets better. We are reading reports, we are seeing the studies. Everyone needs supplies,” he said. “The trucks are going to keep rolling, the danger is going to continue to be there as long as the pandemic is surging.”