Traffic Safety Facts: Large Trucks
October 17th, 2008 Roberts & RobertsIn 2008, 413,000 large trucks (gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds) were involved in traffic crashes in the United States;4,584 were involved in fatal crashes. A total of 4,808 people died (12% of all the traffic fatalities reported in 2007) and an additional 101,000 were injured in those crashes.Â
In 2006, large trucks accounted for 4 percent of all registered vehicles and 7 percent of total vehicle miles traveled. In 2007, large trucks accounted for 8 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes and 4 percent of all vehicles involved in injury and property-damage-only crashes.
One out of nine traffic fatalities in 2007 resulted from a collision involving a large truck.
Of the fatalities that resulted from crashes involving large trucks, 75 percent were occupants of another vehicle, 8 percent were non-occupants, and 23 percent were occupants of a large truck.
Large trucks were much more likely to be involved in fatal multiple-vehicle crash – as opposed to a fatal single-vehicle crash- than were passenger vehicles (82% of all large trucks involved in fatal crashes, compared with 59% of all passenger vehicles).
In a 28 percent of the two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a large truck and another type of vehicle, both vehicles were impacted in the front. The truck was struck in the rear 3.2 times as often as the other vehicle (19% and 6%, respectively).
In half of the two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a large truck and another type of vehicle, both vehicles were proceeding straight at the time of the crash. In 11 percent of the crashes, the other vehicle was negotiating a curve. In 7 percent, either the truck or the other vehicle was stopped or parked in a traffic lane (5% and 2%, respectively).
Most of the fatal crashed involving large trucks occurred in rural areas (62%), during the daytime (66%), and on weekdays (78%). During the week, 74 percent of the crashes occurred during the daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.). On weekends, 62 percent occurred at night (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m).
The percentage of large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes who had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dl) or higher was 1 percent in 2007. For drivers of other types of vehicles involved in fatal crashed in 2007, the percentages of drivers with BAC levels .08g/dl or higher were 23 percent for passenger cars, 23 percent for light trucks, and 27 percent for motorcycles.
Driver of large trucks were less likely to have a previous license suspension or revocation than were passenger car drivers (8% and 15%, respectively).
Nearly one-fourth (24%) of all large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2007 had at least one prior speeding conviction, compared to 19 percent of passenger car drivers involved in fatal crashes.-National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
