2007 Large Truck Crash Overview

The Large Truck Crash Overview was recently published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA). The results showed once again that the number of large trucks in fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by large trucks exceeds the corresponding rate for passenger vehicles.

The rate for large trucks in 2007 — the most recent year for which figures were available — was 2.02 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by large trucks.

The rate for passenger vehicles in 2007 was 1.60 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by passenger vehicles, the report said.

Both ratios were down 20 percent from the previous year.

The FMCSA report said that from 1998 to 2007, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes dropped from 4,955 to 4,584 — down by 7.5 percent.

During the same 1998-2007 time period, the number of large trucks involved in injury crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled declined by 26 percent, while the rate for passenger vehicles dropped by 31 percent.

In 2007, large trucks accounted for 7 percent of all vehicle miles traveled and 4 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States. In motor vehicle crashes, large trucks represented:

• 8 percent of vehicles in fatal crashes
• 2 percent of vehicles in injury crashes
• 4 percent of vehicles in property-damage-only crashes.

The report said large truck tractors pulling semi-trailers accounted for 62 percent of the large trucks involved in fatal crashes and 46 percent of the large trucks involved in nonfatal crashes.

The truck accident lawyers at PritzkerOlsen Attorneys continually follow trends in fatal crashes and injury crashes involving big rigs. PritzkerOlsen is a premier personal injury law firm with extensive experience representing  motorists injured in crashes with large trucks. There are specific actions you should take to protect your rights if you are involved in such an accident and a truck accident lawyer at PritzkerOlsen can help.

Please contact our law firm by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or complete a free consultation form.