Source: NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and AnalysisDocument: DOT HS 810 805 (Updated March 2008), Traffic Safety Facts

The U.S. Department of Transportation - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's National Center for Statistics and Analysis has published a document that outlines truck accident facts for the year 2006 (updated for 2008). This document contains important facts and figures involving large truck accidents and is illustrated with many charts, tables and graphs.

The report covers truck accidents involving fatalities and non-fatalities. Some of the data covers multiple vehicle crashes and passenger cars. At the end of the report is a large table with a state by state break down of large truck accidents involving fatalities.

Also taken into account are statistics where the truck driver had a previous driving record (involving recorded crashes, DWI convictions, speeding convictions and/or recorded suspensions or revocations) or the truck accidents involved blood alcohol levels of .08 or higher.

These are some of the important facts (for year 2006):

In collisions involving a large truck, one out of nine resulted in a traffic fatality

• 385,000 large trucks having a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds were involved in traffic accidents in the U.S.
• 4,732 were involved in fatal crashes
• 4,995 people died and an additional 106,000 were injured in those crashes
  • Of the truck accident fatalities, 75 percent were occupants of another vehicle, 8 percent were non occupants, and 16 percent were occupants of a large truck
  • Of the truck accident injuries, 76 percent were occupants of another vehicle, 2 percent were non occupants, and 22 percent were occupants of a large truck

Large trucks were 2.7 times more likely than other vehicles to be struck in the rear in fatal crashes involving two-vehicles

• Large trucks were much more likely to be involved in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash than were passenger vehicles (as opposed to a fatal single-vehicle crash)
  • 82 percent of all large trucks involved in fatal crashes, compared with 60 percent of all passenger vehicles
• In 28 percent of the two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a large truck and another type of vehicle, both vehicles were impacted in the front. The truck was struck in the rear 2.7 times more often as the other vehicle
  • 19 percent and 7 percent, respectively

One percent of the drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 2006 had blood alcohol levels above .08

• For drivers of large-truck involved in fatal crashes who had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher, the percentage was 1 percent.
• For drivers of other types of vehicles involved in fatal crashes, the percentages of drivers with BAC levels .08 g/dL or higher were:
  • 23 percent for passenger cars
  • 24 percent for light trucks
  • 27 percent for motorcycles

Drivers of large trucks were less likely to have a previous license suspension or revocation than were passenger car drivers

• 8% for drivers of large trucks
• 14% for drivers of passenger cars
• 24% of all large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2006 (almost one-quarter) had at least one prior speeding conviction

Contact Information:
National Center for Statistics and Analysis, NVS-421
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
Tel 800-934-8517
Fax 202-366-7078
Vehicle Safety Hotline 888-327-4236 - Call to inquire about motor vehicle safety information or to report a safety-related problem.

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