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1998 Large Truck Traffic Safety Facts
In 1998, 412,000 large trucks (gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds) were involved in traffic crashes in the United States; 4,935 were involved in fatal crashes. A total of 5,374 people died (13 percent of all the traffic fatalities reported in 1998) and an additional 127,000 were injured in those crashes.
Large trucks accounted for 3 percent of all registered vehicles, 7 percent of total vehicle miles traveled, 9 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes, and 4 percent of all vehicles involved in injury and property-damage-only crashes in 1997 (1998 registered vehicle and vehicle miles traveled data not available).
One out of eight traffic fatalities in 1998 resulted from a collision involving a large truck.
Table 1. Involvement in Fatal and Injury Crashes and Involvement Rates for Large Trucks, 1988-1998
“One out of eight traffic fatalities in 1998 resulted from a collision involving a large truck.”
| Year |
Number of Large Trucks Involved in Fatal Crashes |
Number of Large Trucks Registered |
Vehicle Involvement Rate * |
Vehicle Miles Traveled (millions) |
Vehicle Involvement Rate ** |
| 1988 |
5,241 |
6,136,884 85.4 |
137,985 3.8 |
| 1989 |
4,984 |
6,226,482 80.0 |
142,749 3.5 |
| 1990 |
4,776 |
6,195,876 77.1 |
146,242 3.3 |
| 1991 |
4,347 |
6,172,146 70.4 |
149,543 2.9 |
| 1992 |
4,035 |
6,045,205 66.7 |
153,384 2.6 |
| 1993 |
4,328 |
6,088,155 71.1 |
159,888 2.7 |
| 1994 |
4,644 |
6,587,885 70.5 |
170,216 2.7 |
| 1995 |
4,472 |
6,719,421 66.6 |
178,156 2.5 |
| 1996 |
4,755 |
7,012,615 67.8 |
182,971 2.6 |
| 1997 |
4,917 |
7,083,326 69.4 |
191,345 2.6 |
| 1998 |
4,935 |
-- |
-- |
| Year |
Number of Large Trucks Involved in Injury Crashes |
Number of Large Trucks Registered |
Vehicle Involvement Rate * |
Vehicle Miles Traveled (millions) |
Vehicle Involvement Rate ** |
| 1988 |
96,000 |
6,136,884 1,562 |
137,985 69 |
| 1989 |
110,000 |
6,226,482 1,770 |
142,749 77 |
| 1990 |
107,000 |
6,195,876 1,730 |
146,242 73 |
| 1991 |
78,000 |
6,172,146 1,264 |
149,543 52 |
| 1992 |
95,000 |
6,045,205 1,567 |
153,384 62 |
| 1993 |
97,000 |
6,088,155 1,585 |
159,888 60 |
| 1994 |
96,000 |
6,587,885 1,452 |
170,216 56 |
| 1995 |
84,000 |
6,719,421 1,244 |
178,156 47 |
| 1996 |
94,000 |
7,012,615 1,339 |
182,971 51 |
| 1997 |
96,000 |
7,083,326 1,349 |
191,345 50 |
| 1998 |
89,000 |
-- |
-- |
* Rate per 100,000 registered vehicles. ** Rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. --= not available. Source: Vehicle miles traveled and registered vehicles — Federal Highway Administration.
Of the fatalities that resulted from crashes involving large trucks, 78 percent were occupants of another vehicle, 8 percent were nonoccupants, and 14 percent were occupants of a large truck.
Of the injuries that resulted from crashes involving large trucks, 76 percent were occupants of another vehicle, 2 percent were nonoccupants, and 23 percent were occupants of a large truck.
Table 2. Fatalities and Injuries in Crashes Involving Large Trucks, 1998
“In 1998, large trucks were 3 times as likely as other vehicles to be struck in the rear in two-vehicle fatal crashes.”
| Type of Fatality |
Number |
Percentage of Total |
| Occupants of Large Trucks |
728 |
14 |
| Single-Vehicle Crashes |
481 |
9 |
| Multiple-Vehicle Crashes Occupants of Other Vehicles |
247 |
5 |
| in Crashes Involving Large Trucks Nonoccupants |
4,212 |
78 |
| (Pedestrians, Pedalcyclists, etc.) |
434 |
8 |
| Total |
5,374 |
100 |
| Type of Injury |
Number |
Percentage of Total |
| Occupants of Large Trucks |
29,000 |
23 |
| Single-Vehicle Crashes |
14,000 |
11 |
| Multiple-Vehicle Crashes Occupants of Other Vehicles |
14,000 |
11 |
| in Crashes Involving Large Trucks Nonoccupants |
97,000 |
76 |
| (Pedestrians, Pedalcyclists, etc.) |
2,000 |
2 |
| Total |
127,000 |
100 |
Large trucks were much more likely to be involved in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash — as opposed to a fatal single-vehicle crash — than were passenger vehicles (84 percent of all large trucks involved in fatal crashes, compared with 62 percent of all passenger vehicles).
In 31 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 3 times as often as the other vehicle (17 percent and 6 percent, respectively).
Table 3. Principal Impact Points in Two-Vehicle Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks, 1998
| Impact Point on Large Truck |
|
Impact Point on Other Vehicle |
|
| Front |
Left Side |
Right Side |
Rear |
Total |
| Front |
31% |
17% |
13% |
6% |
67% |
| Left Side |
9% |
<1% |
<1% |
<1% |
11% |
| Right Side |
5% |
<1% |
<1% |
<1% |
6% |
| Rear |
16% |
<1% |
<1% |
<1% |
17% |
| Total |
61% |
19% |
14% |
6% |
100% |
“The intoxication rate for drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 1998 was 1 percent.”
In half of the two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a large truck and another type of vehicle, both vehicles were proceeding straight at the time of the crash. In 10 percent of the crashes, the other vehicle was turning. In 10 percent, either the truck or the other vehicle was negotiating a curve. In 7 percent, either the truck or the other vehicle was stopped or parked in a traffic lane (5 percent and 2 percent, respectively).
Most of the fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred in rural areas (67 percent), during the daytime (68 percent), and on weekdays (80 percent). During the week, 75 percent of the crashes occurred during the daytime (6:00 AM to 5:59 PM). On weekends, 59 percent occurred at night (6:00 PM to 5:59 AM).
The percentage of large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes who were intoxicated — with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of 0.10 grams per deciliter (g/dl) or greater — was 1 percent in 1998. Intoxication rates for drivers of other types of vehicles involved in fatal crashes in 1998 were 18 percent for passenger cars, 20 percent for light trucks, and 31 percent for motorcycles.
Drivers of large trucks were less likely to have a previous license suspension or revocation than were passenger car drivers (7 percent and 12 percent, respectively).
Almost 30 percent of all large truck drivers involved in fatal crashes in 1998 had at least one prior speeding conviction, compared to just under 20 percent of the passenger car drivers involved in fatal crashes.
Table 4. Large Truck Involvement in Fatal Crashes by State, 1998
| State |
Total Vehicles Involved in Fatal Crashes |
Large Trucks Involved in Fatal Crashes |
| Number |
Percentage of Total Vehicles |
Percentage of U.S. Total for Large Trucks |
| Alabama |
1,465 |
149 10.2 3.0 |
| Alaska |
87 |
1 1.1 0.0 |
| Arizona |
1,291 |
98 7.6 2.0 |
| Arkansas |
836 |
105 12.6 2.1 |
| California |
4,762 |
365 7.7 7.4 |
| Colorado |
848 |
52 6.1 1.1 |
| Connecticut |
455 |
29 6.4 0.6 |
| Delaware |
170 |
18 10.6 0.4 |
| District of Columbia |
81 |
1 1.2 0.0 |
| Florida |
4,114 |
317 7.7 6.4 |
| Georgia |
2,192 |
195 8.9 4.0 |
| Hawaii |
178 |
4 2.2 0.1 |
| Idaho |
325 |
23 7.1 0.5 |
| Illinois |
1,945 |
185 9.5 3.7 |
| Indiana |
1,376 |
179 13.0 3.6 |
| Iowa |
649 |
83 12.8 1.7 |
| Kansas |
667 |
79 11.8 1.6 |
| Kentucky |
1,192 |
97 8.1 2.0 |
| Louisiana |
1,263 |
140 11.1 2.8 |
| Maine |
253 |
21 8.3 0.4 |
| Maryland |
877 |
65 7.4 1.3 |
| Massachusetts |
561 |
37 6.6 0.7 |
| Michigan |
2,020 |
147 7.3 3.0 |
| Minnesota |
893 |
78 8.7 1.6 |
| Mississippi |
1,251 |
104 8.3 2.1 |
| Missouri |
1,573 |
155 9.9 3.1 |
| Montana |
277 |
18 6.5 0.4 |
| Nebraska |
402 |
41 10.2 0.8 |
| Nevada |
487 |
34 7.0 0.7 |
| New Hampshire |
171 |
10 5.8 0.2 |
| New Jersey |
1,024 |
64 6.3 1.3 |
| New Mexico |
508 |
44 8.7 0.9 |
| New York |
2,039 |
134 6.6 2.7 |
| North Carolina |
2,211 |
228 10.3 4.6 |
| North Dakota |
109 |
8 7.3 0.2 |
| Ohio |
1,983 |
189 9.5 3.8 |
| Oklahoma |
988 |
106 10.7 2.1 |
| Oregon |
715 |
68 9.5 1.4 |
| Pennsylvania |
2,052 |
178 8.7 3.6 |
| Rhode Island |
98 |
3 3.1 0.1 |
| South Carolina |
1,353 |
118 8.7 2.4 |
| South Dakota |
215 |
14 6.5 0.3 |
| Tennessee |
1,711 |
136 7.9 2.8 |
| Texas |
4,894 |
422 8.6 8.6 |
| Utah |
443 |
44 9.9 0.9 |
| Vermont |
124 |
10 8.1 0.2 |
| Virginia |
1,227 |
109 8.9 2.2 |
| Washington |
904 |
69 7.6 1.4 |
| West Virginia |
468 |
41 8.8 0.8 |
| Wisconsin |
965 |
90 9.3 1.8 |
| Wyoming |
173 |
30 17.3 0.6 |
| U.S. Total |
56,865 |
4,935 8.7 100.0 |
| Puerto Rico |
716 |
33 4.6 - |
Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
DOT HS 808 952
Large Truck Traffic Safety Facts 1998
U.S. Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration
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