According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were 499.415 crashes reported by police in 2019 involving large trucks and buses in the United States. In these 499,415 crashes, there was at least one death and 107,000 injuries.
The FMCSA also reported that, in 2019, 4,951 large truck crashes resulted in 5,005 deaths. This represents an increase over the previous year when 4,862 large trucks were involved in fatal accidents resulting in 4951 deaths. In 2019, 151,000 people were also injured in large truck crashes, which is an increase over the previous year.
While large truck accidents make up only a small portion of all crashes on U.S. highways (around 10%), they are more likely to cause fatalities and serious injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019, large trucks were involved in 12% of traffic fatalities. However, only 4% of injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents involved a large truck.
The increase in large truck accidents involving multiple deaths is another alarming trend. In 2019, there were three or more fatalities in large truck crashes, up from 98 in 2018.
It is also important to note the impact of COVID-19 on trucking, and its safety. According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the pandemic caused major disruptions in supply chains and changed driver behavior such as an increase in driving time and a decrease in rest time. These changes could lead to an increase of truck accidents and fatalities.
The statistics of truck accidents in America are alarming. Although large truck accidents only make up a tiny percentage of all crashes on U.S. roadways, they are more likely to cause fatalities and serious injury. The trend of increased fatalities is also alarming.
