Trends

The tables in this chapter present large truck crash statistics over time. Fatal crash statistics generally are available from 1975, the first year of FARS data, through 2001. In some cases, such as for roadway function class or alcohol involvement, data are available only from 1981 or 1982 through 2001. Nonfatal crash statistics are available from 1988, the first year of GES data, through 2001. The statistics shown in this chapter represent crashes, vehicles, drivers, fatalities, and injuries in crashes. Below is a summary of some of the trend information in this section:

• Over the past 20 years (from 1981 to 2001) there has been a 37-percent increase in registered large trucks and a 91-percent increase in miles traveled by large trucks.
• Over the same time period, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes each year has declined by 8 percent, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in fatal crashes has declined by 52 percent.
• Over the past 10 years (from 1991 to 2001) there has been a 27-percent increase in registered large trucks and a 39-percent increase in miles traveled by large trucks.
• The number of large trucks involved in injury crashes each year has increased by 15 percent over the past 10 years, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in injury crashes has declined by 17 percent.
• The number of large trucks involved in property damage only crashes has increased by 35 percent over the past 10 years, but the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in property damage only crashes has declined by 3 percent.
• Alcohol involvement (blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 gram per deciliter [g/dl] or more) for large truck drivers in fatal crashes has declined by 75 percent since 1982, the first year of FARS data for alcohol involvement in fatal crashes.