Many New Mexico motorists drive trucks, and the results of a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed variations in the outcomes of fatal accidents among different truck models. The institute looked specifically at accidents that killed drivers of vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2014. All types of vehicles taken together produced an average rate of driver deaths of 30 per million registered vehicles. The category of trucks proved safer than passenger vehicles with death scores of 26 and 39 per million respectively.
Within the truck category, however, big variations in driver death rates appeared. For example, the Frontier Crew Cab short bed 2WD earned a score of 42 whereas many Toyota truck models ranked very well.
Light trucks like the Jeep Cherokee 4WD and the Toyota Tacoma Double Cab long bed 4WD distinguished themselves with no driver fatalities. The highest number of driver deaths occurred inside Nissan Titan Crew Cab short bed 4WD large trucks, which numbered 73.
Safety information about vehicles sometimes becomes a factor during personal injury lawsuits. A person injured in a crash that might have involved defective parts might consult an attorney who is experienced in motor vehicle accident litigation. An attorney could expand an accident investigation beyond a police report and ask independent investigators to look at the circumstances of the accident. The attorney could also use the testimony of eyewitnesses as evidence. If part defects contributed to a crash, the lawsuit might name the manufacturer as a defendant when pursuing compensation for medical bills, lost income, and rehabilitative therapy.
