Humans react positively to warmer weather and longer days. Their moods and relationships are often better when the weather is pleasant. People are more likely to go out and socialize during the summer months, which also means that they will spend more time in their motor vehicles.
Motorists in Oklahoma are no exception. From teenagers taking day trips with their friends to families driving to a company barbecue, there will be lots of summertime road traffic across the state in addition to the standard traffic of commuters. Unfortunately, increased socialization and possibly alcohol consumption at summer parties may correlate with a significantly increased risk of a car crash.
In fact, the summer months and the demand for seasonal products can see a major influx of commercial traffic in some areas. A crash that involves a semi-truck would likely be one of the most devastating wrecks possible, and the summer also sees a small but noticeable uptick in semi-truck collisions as well.
Better weather means more commercial crashes
When looking at an analysis of why semi-truck collisions occur and when and where they happen, certain trends start to appear. The colder months, including late winter and early spring, see the fewest overall semi-truck collisions. The warmer months see the most, with late summer and early fall seeing the highest number of crashes per month.
Motorists may need to watch extra carefully for semi-trucks on their way to the beach or a barbecue to help reduce their personal risk of a catastrophic crash with an 18-wheeler.
What happens after a summertime semi wreck?
People involved in a collision with a commercial vehicle may end up spending part of their summer in the hospital, as such crashes often lead to serious injuries. The crash may also generate a lot of expenses, which may force someone to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
The process of negotiating a settlement or preparing for litigation can be very time-consuming and stressful unless the people affected by the crash have appropriate legal support. Knowing when to be on high alert for semi-truck crashes and also how to respond after they happen may help prepare Oklahoma drivers for the worst-case scenario.