(NewsNation) — Winter driving is dangerous and can be terrifying, even for well-seasoned motorists.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 4,000 people died in crashes involving large trucks in 2020, the most recent year with data on record. That is a 28% increase from 2009 when the number of fatalities caused by truck crashes hit its all-time low since the government began collecting fatal crash data in 1975.
More than 68% of those deaths were occupants in cars and other passenger vehicles, while 15% were truck occupants, according to the data.
Truckers Justin Horn and David Corrado advise drivers to stay home if the weather is bad, and only drive if necessary.
Corrado, a 20-year-veteran of trucking, said slowing down and giving yourself distance between vehicles in front of you is key when driving in winter weather.
“Slow down, that’s the best thing you can do. Your reaction time — the slippery road, you just cannot stop on a dime,” Corrado said. “It seems like a lot of people see the big trucks, they think big trucks, big wheels, big brakes, they can stop anywhere, anytime, in a short distance. That’s not the case.”