Roadway Facts
- 5,212 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks in 2005, representing about 12-13 percent of all traffic fatalities. Of these, 78 percent were occupants of another vehicle, 15 percent were large truck occupants, and 9 percent were non-occupants. An additional 114,000 people were reported injured in those crashes (based on data published in 2004 Projections, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), April 21, 2005)
- The annual death toll from truck-related crashes is the equivalent of 52 major airline crashes every year, one crash every week resulting in 95 deaths.
- Large trucks are 9 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes and represent 11-13 percent of all crash fatalities despite the fact that large trucks make up only 3 percent of all registered vehicles (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 2001-2006; NHTSA, 2001-2005).
- The fatality rate for big combination truck (tractor-trailer) crashes in 2005 was 2.34 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (MVMT), almost double the rate for passenger vehicles (1.14 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled) (NHTSA 2005, FMCSA 2007).
Greg was killed by a tractor-trailer that had 23 safety violations, an inexperienced driver, and an improperly secured load.
Rachel was a healthy, active eight year old little girl. She had a long life ahead of her that was unfairly taken away.
I lost my freedom and my independence in a split second. Now I have to rely on many other people to do for me what I used to be able to do myself.- Woman Killed, Fiancé Seriously Injured in 18-wheeler Crash
A woman and her fiancé were on their way to a family reunion in South Carolina one night when, out of nowhere, a car hit their Nissan Pathfinder head-on. The car had been rear-ended by an 18-wheeler and sent hurling across the median, where it collided with the couple’s vehicle. The woman in the Pathfinder […]
- 8-year-old Killed in Collision with Truck Carrying Hazardous Load
An eight-year-old girl was traveling with her mother when a truck loaded with flammable materials crashed into the family’s car. The girl was severely injured and later died as a result of her injuries. During the wrongful death case brought against the operator of the truck and her employer, it was discovered that the truck […]
- Tractor-trailer Loses Load, Kills Pick-up Truck Driver
A 37-year-old man was on his way to work when a tractor-trailer lost part of its load of hay bales on the highway. The hay bales smashed into the man’s pick-up truck, demolishing the vehicle and killing the driver. An investigation proved the trucking company knew the tractor trailer had received 23 or more safety […]