Table of Contents
Overview
Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. The main problem is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles. Trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance, which can result in smaller vehicles underriding trucks in crashes.
Truck braking capability can be a factor in truck crashes. Loaded tractor-trailers take 20-40 percent farther than cars to stop, and the discrepancy is greater on wet and slippery roads or with poorly maintained brakes. Truck driver fatigue also is a known crash risk. Drivers of large trucks are allowed by federal hours-of-service regulations to drive up to 11 hours at a stretch. Surveys indicate that many drivers violate the regulations and work longer than permitted.
The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Posted December 2019.
Trends
A total of 4,136 people died in large truck crashes in 2018. Sixteen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 67 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 15 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 31 percent higher in 2018 than in 2009, when it was the lowest it has been since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975. The number of truck occupants who died was 51 percent higher than in 2009.
Deaths in crashes involving large trucks, 1975-2018
| Deaths in crashes involving large trucks, 1975-2018 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Passenger vehicle occupants | Large truck occupants | Motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians | Total* | ||||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| 1975 | 2,757 | 64 | 916 | 21 | 528 | 12 | 4,305 | 100 |
| 1976 | 3,071 | 63 | 1,100 | 22 | 622 | 13 | 4,893 | 100 |
| 1977 | 3,631 | 65 | 1,229 | 22 | 653 | 12 | 5,614 | 100 |
| 1978 | 3,954 | 64 | 1,315 | 21 | 776 | 13 | 6,160 | 100 |
| 1979 | 4,226 | 65 | 1,372 | 21 | 830 | 13 | 6,539 | 100 |
| 1980 | 3,623 | 63 | 1,183 | 21 | 844 | 15 | 5,740 | 100 |
| 1981 | 3,752 | 66 | 1,082 | 19 | 772 | 14 | 5,680 | 100 |
| 1982 | 3,448 | 67 | 917 | 18 | 679 | 13 | 5,125 | 100 |
| 1983 | 3,615 | 67 | 960 | 18 | 732 | 14 | 5,404 | 100 |
| 1984 | 3,713 | 67 | 1,040 | 19 | 712 | 13 | 5,550 | 100 |
| 1985 | 3,825 | 68 | 941 | 17 | 724 | 13 | 5,613 | 100 |
| 1986 | 3,752 | 69 | 892 | 16 | 718 | 13 | 5,468 | 100 |
| 1987 | 3,833 | 70 | 821 | 15 | 712 | 13 | 5,471 | 100 |
| 1988 | 3,938 | 71 | 886 | 16 | 647 | 12 | 5,566 | 100 |
| 1989 | 3,847 | 72 | 822 | 15 | 587 | 11 | 5,360 | 100 |
| 1990 | 3,790 | 73 | 684 | 13 | 615 | 12 | 5,174 | 100 |
| 1991 | 3,447 | 73 | 650 | 14 | 562 | 12 | 4,728 | 100 |
| 1992 | 3,300 | 75 | 580 | 13 | 481 | 11 | 4,422 | 100 |
| 1993 | 3,611 | 76 | 590 | 12 | 462 | 10 | 4,778 | 100 |
| 1994 | 3,764 | 74 | 658 | 13 | 555 | 11 | 5,069 | 100 |
| 1995 | 3,626 | 75 | 634 | 13 | 495 | 10 | 4,834 | 100 |
| 1996 | 3,866 | 77 | 602 | 12 | 465 | 9 | 5,048 | 100 |
| 1997 | 3,992 | 75 | 717 | 14 | 497 | 9 | 5,295 | 100 |
| 1998 | 3,981 | 75 | 739 | 14 | 495 | 9 | 5,316 | 100 |
| 1999 | 3,916 | 74 | 747 | 14 | 519 | 10 | 5,299 | 100 |
| 2000 | 3,863 | 75 | 737 | 14 | 490 | 9 | 5,173 | 100 |
| 2001 | 3,709 | 74 | 691 | 14 | 513 | 10 | 5,012 | 100 |
| 2002 | 3,616 | 75 | 675 | 14 | 464 | 10 | 4,846 | 100 |
| 2003 | 3,595 | 73 | 703 | 14 | 504 | 10 | 4,905 | 100 |
| 2004 | 3,693 | 72 | 743 | 15 | 564 | 11 | 5,099 | 100 |
| 2005 | 3,584 | 71 | 758 | 15 | 595 | 12 | 5,049 | 100 |
| 2006 | 3,466 | 71 | 774 | 16 | 564 | 12 | 4,886 | 100 |
| 2007 | 3,234 | 70 | 745 | 16 | 578 | 13 | 4,613 | 100 |
| 2008 | 2,774 | 69 | 615 | 15 | 580 | 14 | 4,017 | 100 |
| 2009 | 2,223 | 71 | 449 | 14 | 443 | 14 | 3,147 | 100 |
| 2010 | 2,453 | 72 | 475 | 14 | 445 | 13 | 3,418 | 100 |
| 2011 | 2,245 | 66 | 555 | 16 | 530 | 16 | 3,384 | 100 |
| 2012 | 2,362 | 67 | 590 | 17 | 537 | 15 | 3,529 | 100 |
| 2013 | 2,418 | 67 | 589 | 16 | 560 | 15 | 3,616 | 100 |
| 2014 | 2,486 | 68 | 585 | 16 | 535 | 15 | 3,663 | 100 |
| 2015 | 2,667 | 69 | 598 | 15 | 568 | 15 | 3,876 | 100 |
| 2016 | 2,660 | 66 | 662 | 16 | 641 | 16 | 4,023 | 100 |
| 2017 | 2,809 | 68 | 680 | 17 | 587 | 14 | 4,115 | 100 |
| 2018 | 2,786 | 67 | 678 | 16 | 619 | 15 | 4,136 | 100 |
Ninety-six percent of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck in 2018 were occupants of the passenger vehicles.
| Occupant deaths in two-vehicle crashes involving a large truck and a passenger vehicle, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Occupant type | Deaths | % |
| Passenger vehicle occupants | 2,133 | 96 |
| Large truck occupants | 79 | 4 |
| All occupant deaths | 2,212 | 100 |
Eleven percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2018 occurred in large truck crashes.
| Motor vehicle crash deaths occurring in large truck crashes and other crashes, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Crash type | Deaths | % |
| Large truck crashes | 4,136 | 11 |
| Other crashes | 32,424 | 89 |
| All crashes | 36,560 | 100 |
Seventy-four percent of deaths in large truck crashes in 2018 were in crashes involving tractor-trailers and 27 percent were in crashes involving single-unit trucks. Some crashes involved both a tractor-trailer and a single-unit truck.
| Deaths in large truck crashes by truck type involved, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Truck type | Deaths | % |
| Tractor-trailer | 3,042 | 74 |
| Single-unit | 1,108 | 27 |
| Truck type unknown | 53 | 1 |
Sixty-two percent of large truck occupants killed in multiple-vehicle crashes in 2018 occurred in collisions involving another large truck.
| Deaths of large truck occupants in multiple-vehicle crashes by number of large trucks involved, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number of large trucks | Deaths | % |
| 1 | 106 | 38 |
| ≥ 2 | 171 | 62 |
| Total | 277 | 100 |
Twelve percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths and 22 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes in 2018 occurred in crashes with large trucks.
| Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by crash type and large truck involvement, 2018 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crash type | Large truck crashes | Other crashes | All crashes | ||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | |
| Single-vehicle | 0 | 0 | 10,302 | 100 | 10,302 |
| Multiple-vehicle | 2,786 | 22 | 9,803 | 78 | 12,589 |
| All crashes* | 2,786 | 12 | 20,105 | 88 | 22,891 |
Among vehicle occupants killed in large truck crashes, both the rate of passenger vehicle occupant deaths per truck mile traveled and the rate of large truck occupant deaths per truck mile traveled have declined substantially since 1975.
Occupant deaths in large truck crashes per 100 million truck miles traveled
| Occupant deaths in large truck crashes per 100 million truck miles traveled, 1975-2018 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Truck miles traveled in millions | Passenger vehicle occupants | Large truck occupants | ||
| Number | Rate | Number | Rate | ||
| 1975 | 81,330 | 2,757 | 3.39 | 916 | 1.13 |
| 1976 | 86,070 | 3,071 | 3.57 | 1,100 | 1.28 |
| 1977 | 95,021 | 3,631 | 3.82 | 1,229 | 1.29 |
| 1978 | 105,739 | 3,954 | 3.74 | 1,315 | 1.24 |
| 1979 | 109,004 | 4,226 | 3.88 | 1,372 | 1.26 |
| 1980 | 108,491 | 3,623 | 3.34 | 1,183 | 1.09 |
| 1981 | 108,702 | 3,752 | 3.45 | 1,082 | 1.00 |
| 1982 | 111,423 | 3,448 | 3.09 | 917 | 0.82 |
| 1983 | 116,132 | 3,615 | 3.11 | 960 | 0.83 |
| 1984 | 121,796 | 3,713 | 3.05 | 1,040 | 0.85 |
| 1985 | 123,504 | 3,825 | 3.10 | 941 | 0.76 |
| 1986 | 126,675 | 3,752 | 2.96 | 892 | 0.70 |
| 1987 | 133,517 | 3,833 | 2.87 | 821 | 0.61 |
| 1988 | 137,985 | 3,938 | 2.85 | 886 | 0.64 |
| 1989 | 142,749 | 3,847 | 2.69 | 822 | 0.58 |
| 1990 | 146,242 | 3,790 | 2.59 | 684 | 0.47 |
| 1991 | 149,543 | 3,447 | 2.31 | 650 | 0.43 |
| 1992 | 153,384 | 3,300 | 2.15 | 580 | 0.38 |
| 1993 | 159,888 | 3,611 | 2.26 | 590 | 0.37 |
| 1994 | 170,216 | 3,764 | 2.21 | 658 | 0.39 |
| 1995 | 178,162 | 3,626 | 2.04 | 634 | 0.36 |
| 1996 | 182,971 | 3,866 | 2.11 | 602 | 0.33 |
| 1997 | 191,477 | 3,992 | 2.08 | 717 | 0.37 |
| 1998 | 196,380 | 3,981 | 2.03 | 739 | 0.38 |
| 1999 | 202,688 | 3,916 | 1.93 | 747 | 0.37 |
| 2000 | 205,520 | 3,863 | 1.88 | 737 | 0.36 |
| 2001 | 209,032 | 3,709 | 1.77 | 691 | 0.33 |
| 2002 | 214,603 | 3,616 | 1.68 | 675 | 0.31 |
| 2003 | 217,917 | 3,595 | 1.65 | 703 | 0.32 |
| 2004 | 220,792 | 3,693 | 1.67 | 743 | 0.34 |
| 2005 | 222,523 | 3,584 | 1.61 | 758 | 0.34 |
| 2006 | 222,513 | 3,466 | 1.56 | 774 | 0.35 |
| 2007 | 304,178 | 3,234 | 1.06 | 745 | 0.24 |
| 2008 | 310,680 | 2,774 | 0.89 | 615 | 0.20 |
| 2009 | 288,306 | 2,223 | 0.77 | 449 | 0.16 |
| 2010 | 286,527 | 2,453 | 0.86 | 475 | 0.17 |
| 2011 | 267,594 | 2,245 | 0.84 | 555 | 0.21 |
| 2012 | 269,207 | 2,362 | 0.88 | 590 | 0.22 |
| 2013 | 275,017 | 2,418 | 0.88 | 589 | 0.21 |
| 2014 | 279,132 | 2,486 | 0.89 | 585 | 0.21 |
| 2015 | 279,844 | 2,667 | 0.95 | 598 | 0.21 |
| 2016 | 287,895 | 2,660 | 0.92 | 662 | 0.23 |
| 2017 | 297,593 | 2,809 | 0.94 | 680 | 0.23 |
| 2018 | 304,864 | 2,786 | 0.91 | 678 | 0.22 |
Where and when large truck crashes occurred
Fifty-two percent of deaths in large truck crashes in 2018 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways, 33 percent occurred on interstates and freeways, and 14 percent occurred on minor roads.
| Deaths in large truck crashes by road type, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Road type | Deaths | % |
| Interstates and freeways | 1,357 | 33 |
| Other major roads | 2,156 | 52 |
| Minor roads | 599 | 14 |
| All road types* | 4,136 | 100 |
Fifty percent of large truck crash deaths in 2018 occurred from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., compared with 30 percent of crash deaths not involving large trucks.
| Deaths in large truck crashes and other crashes by time of day, 2018 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time of day | Large truck crashes | Other crashes | All crashes | |||
| Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
| Midnight – 3 a.m. | 315 | 8 | 3,764 | 12 | 4,079 | 11 |
| 3 a.m. – 6 a.m. | 452 | 11 | 2,543 | 8 | 2,995 | 8 |
| 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. | 625 | 15 | 3,056 | 9 | 3,681 | 10 |
| 9 a.m. – noon | 647 | 16 | 2,869 | 9 | 3,516 | 10 |
| Noon – 3 p.m. | 790 | 19 | 3,925 | 12 | 4,715 | 13 |
| 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. | 613 | 15 | 5,055 | 16 | 5,668 | 16 |
| 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | 392 | 9 | 5,812 | 18 | 6,204 | 17 |
| 9 p.m. – midnight | 297 | 7 | 5,154 | 16 | 5,451 | 15 |
| Total* | 4,136 | 100 | 32,424 | 100 | 36,560 | 100 |
Sixteen percent of large truck crash deaths in 2018 occurred on Saturday and Sunday, compared with 34 percent of crash deaths not involving large trucks.
| Deaths in large truck crashes and other crashes by day of week, 2018 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day of Week | Large truck crashes | Other crashes | All crashes | |||
| Deaths | % | Deaths | % | Deaths | % | |
| Sunday | 288 | 7 | 5,272 | 16 | 5,560 | 15 |
| Monday | 682 | 16 | 4,236 | 13 | 4,918 | 13 |
| Tuesday | 706 | 17 | 3,945 | 12 | 4,651 | 13 |
| Wednesday | 703 | 17 | 3,919 | 12 | 4,622 | 13 |
| Thursday | 669 | 16 | 4,178 | 13 | 4,847 | 13 |
| Friday | 697 | 17 | 4,964 | 15 | 5,661 | 15 |
| Saturday | 391 | 9 | 5,910 | 18 | 6,301 | 17 |
| Total* | 4,136 | 100 | 32,424 | 100 | 36,560 | 100 |
Comparison of large truck and passenger vehicle crashes
Forty-five percent of large truck occupant deaths in 2018 occurred in crashes in which their vehicles rolled over. This was slightly higher than the percentage of SUV occupant deaths and pickup occupant deaths that occurred in rollover crashes and much higher than the percentage of occupant deaths in cars (20 percent) involving rollovers.
| Occupant deaths by rollover occurrence and vehicle type, 2018 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle type | No rollover | Rollover | All crashes | |||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Large truck | 374 | 55 | 304 | 45 | 678 | 100 |
| SUV | 2,940 | 58 | 2,095 | 42 | 5,035 | 100 |
| Pickup | 2,635 | 60 | 1,734 | 40 | 4,369 | 100 |
| Car | 10,489 | 80 | 2,649 | 20 | 13,138 | 100 |
| Total* | 22,006 | 75 | 7,200 | 25 | 29,206 | 100 |
Fifty-nine percent of large truck occupant deaths in 2018 occurred in single-vehicle crashes, compared with 45 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths.
| Occupant deaths in large trucks and passenger vehicles by number of vehicles involved, 2018 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crash type | Large truck occupants | Passenger vehicle occupants | ||
| Number | % | Number | % | |
| Single-vehicle | 401 | 59 | 10,302 | 45 |
| Multiple-vehicle | 277 | 41 | 12,589 | 55 |
| All crashes* | 678 | 100 | 22,891 | 100 |
Eighteen percent of large trucks in fatal crashes in 2018 were involved in single-vehicle crashes; in contrast, 37 percent of passenger vehicles in fatal crashes were involved in single-vehicle crashes.
| Large truck and passenger vehicle involvement in fatal crashes by number of vehicles involved, 2018 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crash type | Large trucks | Passenger vehicles | ||
| Number | % | Number | % | |
| Single vehicle | 707 | 18 | 15,012 | 37 |
| Two vehicles | 2,447 | 61 | 18,674 | 46 |
| > 2 vehicles | 872 | 22 | 7,239 | 18 |
| All crashes* | 4,026 | 100 | 40,925 | 100 |
Forty-nine percent of fatally injured large truck drivers in 2018 were using seat belts, the same proportion as fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers. However, belt use was unknown for 20 percent of fatally injured large truck drivers, compared with 8 percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers.
| Seat belt use among fatally injured large truck and passenger vehicle drivers, 2018 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belt use | Large truck drivers | Passenger vehicle drivers | ||
| Number | % | Number | % | |
| Belt used | 284 | 49 | 8,374 | 49 |
| Unbelted | 181 | 31 | 7,370 | 43 |
| Unknown | 119 | 20 | 1,424 | 8 |
| Total | 584 | 100 | 17,168 | 100 |
Thirty-one percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes with a large truck in 2018 were in vehicles struck head-on by the truck and another 24 percent were in vehicles that were side-struck by the truck. Twenty-three percent involved the front of the passenger vehicle striking the rear of the large truck.
| Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2-vehicle crashes with a large truck, 2018 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large truck | Passenger vehicle | Total | ||||||||
| Front | Side | Rear | Other | |||||||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Front | 654 | 31 | 512 | 24 | 119 | 6 | 9 | <1 | 1294 | 61 |
| Side | 256 | 12 | 34 | 2 | 1 | <1 | 4 | <1 | 295 | 14 |
| Rear | 481 | 23 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | <1 | 495 | 23 |
| Other | 25 | 1 | 8 | <1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 49 | 2 |
| Total | 1416 | 66 | 567 | 27 | 120 | 6 | 30 | 1 | 2133 | 100 |
Large truck drivers killed in fatal crashes rarely have high blood alcohol concentrations (BACs). Truck drivers are subject to strict government regulations concerning drinking and driving. Three percent of fatally injured large truck drivers in 2018 had BACs at or above 0.08 percent, down from 17 percent in 1982. For comparison, 29 percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers in 2018 had BACs at or above 0.08 percent, down from 51 percent in 1982.
| Estimated percent and number of fatally injured large truck and passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥0.08 percent, 1982-2018 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Large truck drivers | Passenger vehicle drivers | ||||
| Deaths | Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 | Deaths | Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 | |||
| Number | Number | % | Number | Number | % | |
| 1982 | 735 | 123 | 17 | 19,664 | 10,024 | 51 |
| 1983 | 767 | 115 | 15 | 19,338 | 9,529 | 49 |
| 1984 | 859 | 107 | 12 | 20,300 | 9,379 | 46 |
| 1985 | 775 | 84 | 11 | 20,058 | 8,674 | 43 |
| 1986 | 736 | 58 | 8 | 21,503 | 9,396 | 44 |
| 1987 | 686 | 53 | 8 | 22,157 | 9,343 | 42 |
| 1988 | 743 | 66 | 9 | 22,884 | 9,580 | 42 |
| 1989 | 681 | 68 | 10 | 22,554 | 9,200 | 41 |
| 1990 | 570 | 50 | 9 | 21,953 | 8,973 | 41 |
| 1991 | 550 | 39 | 7 | 20,551 | 8,242 | 40 |
| 1992 | 506 | 26 | 5 | 19,573 | 7,434 | 38 |
| 1993 | 504 | 26 | 5 | 20,036 | 7,328 | 37 |
| 1994 | 545 | 36 | 7 | 20,647 | 7,083 | 34 |
| 1995 | 546 | 31 | 6 | 21,457 | 7,488 | 35 |
| 1996 | 525 | 34 | 6 | 21,631 | 7,336 | 34 |
| 1997 | 616 | 19 | 3 | 21,711 | 7,069 | 33 |
| 1998 | 628 | 30 | 5 | 21,627 | 6,944 | 32 |
| 1999 | 631 | 28 | 4 | 21,899 | 6,994 | 32 |
| 2000 | 641 | 28 | 4 | 21,819 | 7,127 | 33 |
| 2001 | 591 | 22 | 4 | 21,862 | 7,205 | 33 |
| 2002 | 582 | 38 | 7 | 22,537 | 7,381 | 33 |
| 2003 | 608 | 23 | 4 | 22,200 | 7,120 | 32 |
| 2004 | 624 | 24 | 4 | 21,952 | 6,952 | 32 |
| 2005 | 663 | 22 | 3 | 21,953 | 7,104 | 32 |
| 2006 | 678 | 30 | 4 | 21,592 | 7,164 | 33 |
| 2007 | 663 | 17 | 3 | 20,542 | 7,057 | 34 |
| 2008 | 534 | 19 | 4 | 18,266 | 6,280 | 34 |
| 2009 | 399 | 16 | 4 | 16,834 | 5,791 | 34 |
| 2010 | 426 | 17 | 4 | 16,029 | 5,177 | 32 |
| 2011 | 493 | 9 | 2 | 15,561 | 5,064 | 33 |
| 2012 | 524 | 14 | 3 | 15,915 | 5,204 | 33 |
| 2013 | 529 | 17 | 3 | 15,577 | 5,108 | 33 |
| 2014 | 536 | 16 | 3 | 15,495 | 4,906 | 32 |
| 2015 | 536 | 16 | 3 | 16,629 | 4,916 | 30 |
| 2016 | 590 | 17 | 3 | 17,641 | 5,149 | 29 |
| 2017 | 604 | 29 | 5 | 17,751 | 5,116 | 29 |
| 2018 | 584 | 18 | 3 | 17,168 | 4,946 | 29 |
