- 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)
