FMCSA Report: Serious Crashes Involving Trucks Down Nearly One-Third

Fatal crashes involving a large truck fell 31% from 2007 to 2009 and crashes resulting in injury declined 30%, according to the “2009 Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts” report recently released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.In 2009, 3,215 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes, a 21% decrease from 2008 and the largest annual decline since records have been kept, according to the report. Combined with the second-largest annual decline from 2007 to 2008, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes declined 31% from 2007 to 2009.

American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves praised the efforts of the nation’s truck drivers, safety directors, and law-enforcement officers for their contribution to the continued progress in the industry’s safety record.

“These safety gains,” Graves said in a statement issued Wednesday, “are the result of many things: sensible regulation; improvements in technology; slower, more fuel-efficient driving; the dedication of professional drivers and safety directors; as well as more effective enforcement techniques that look at all the factors involved in crashes.”

FMCSA’s report states the large truck fatal crash rate fell to 1.0 per 100 million miles traveled in 2009, down from 1.1 in 2008. Since 2000, the fatal crash rate for large trucks has fallen 55%. The passenger vehicle fatal crash rate dropped 25% during the same time period.

“These results deserve to be heralded as tremendous progress and very good news for American motorists, our industry, and our industry’s regulators,” Graves said.

The 80-page report is available at 1.usa.gov/FMSCA11025. Excel files containing data for each of the report’s 71 tables and charts are available individually at 1.usa.gov/FMSCA71.