Troubling Statistics
- Nearly 5000 people died in 2006 in accidents involving large trucks. Another 106,000
were injured.
- Of the deaths, 85 % of them were not truck occupants.
- Large trucks are nearly twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident as
passenger vehicles Û 2.4 compared with 1.5 accidents per 100 million miles traveled
in 2006.
- The higher fatal involvement rate is attributable to the size disparity between
large trucks and passenger vehicles.
- The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that
up to 40% of accidents involving large trucks may be the result of driver fatigue
- Research by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that truck drivers
behind the wheel for more than 8 hours have a twofold increase in accident risk.
In an Institute survey taken in 2005, one-in-five truckers (21%) reported falling
asleep at the wheel at least once during the previous month.
- Federal officials have uncovered commercial truck licensing fraud in 24 states,
and have on-going investigations in 13 states. They say thousands of unskilled,
untrained drivers may be on the nation's highways.
- Transportation experts estimate up to 30% of all commercial trucks on the highways
exceed allowable weight limits. The DOT reports about 15% of fatal truck accidents
involve overweight carriers.
(Sources include: National Safety Transportation Administration 2005 Traffic Safety
Facts; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)