Fatality Facts 2022Large trucks

Overview

Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. The main problem is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles. Trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars and are taller with greater ground clearance, which can result in smaller vehicles underriding trucks in crashes.

Truck braking capability can be a factor in truck crashes. Loaded tractor-trailers require 20%-40% more distance than cars to stop, and the discrepancy is greater on wet and slippery roads or with poorly maintained brakes. Truck driver fatigue is also a known crash risk. Drivers of large trucks are allowed by federal hours-of-service regulations to drive up to 11 hours at a stretch. Surveys indicate that many drivers violate the regulations and work longer than permitted (McCartt et al., 2008).

The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

Posted June 2024.

Crash types

Eleven percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2022 occurred in large truck crashes.

Motor vehicle crash deaths occurring in large truck crashes and other crashes, 2022
Crash type Deaths %
Large truck crashes 4,764 11
Other crashes 37,750 89
All crashes 42,514 100

Seventy-three percent of deaths in large truck crashes in 2022 were in crashes involving tractor-trailers and 28% were in crashes involving single-unit trucks. Some crashes involved both a tractor-trailer and a single-unit truck.

Deaths in large truck crashes by truck type involved, 2022
Truck type Deaths %
Tractor-trailer 3,475 73
Single-unit 1,353 28
Truck type unknown 68 1

Sixty-one percent of large truck occupants killed in multiple-vehicle crashes in 2022 occurred in collisions involving another large truck.

Deaths of large truck occupants in multiple-vehicle crashes by number of large trucks involved, 2022
Number of large trucks Deaths %
1 142 39
≥ 2 219 61
Total 361 100

Where and when large truck crashes occurred

Forty-nine percent of deaths in large truck crashes in 2022 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways, 35% occurred on interstates and freeways, and 16% occurred on minor roads.

Deaths in large truck crashes by road type, 2022
Road type Deaths %
Interstates and freeways 1,688 35
Other major roads 2,318 49
Minor roads 741 16
All road types* 4,764 100

Forty-seven percent of large truck crash deaths in 2022 occurred from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., compared with 28% of crash deaths not involving large trucks.

Deaths in large truck crashes and other crashes by time of day, 2022
Time of day Large truck crashes Other crashes All crashes
Deaths % Deaths % Deaths %
Midnight - 3 a.m. 465 10 4,796 13 5,261 12
3 a.m. - 6 a.m. 528 11 3,099 8 3,627 9
6 a.m. - 9 a.m. 727 15 3,332 9 4,059 10
9 a.m. - noon 717 15 3,091 8 3,808 9
Noon - 3 p.m. 805 17 4,284 11 5,089 12
3 p.m. - 6 p.m. 645 14 5,692 15 6,337 15
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 454 10 6,875 18 7,329 17
9 p.m. - midnight 414 9 6,264 17 6,678 16
Total* 4,764 100 37,750 100 42,514 100

Seventeen percent of large truck crash deaths in 2022 occurred on Saturday and Sunday, compared with 36% of crash deaths not involving large trucks.

Deaths in large truck crashes and other crashes by day of week, 2022
Day of Week Large truck crashes Other crashes All crashes
Deaths % Deaths % Deaths %
Sunday 328 7 6,290 17 6,618 16
Monday 783 16 4,589 12 5,372 13
Tuesday 813 17 4,452 12 5,265 12
Wednesday 777 16 4,692 12 5,469 13
Thursday 782 16 4,854 13 5,636 13
Friday 813 17 5,659 15 6,472 15
Saturday 468 10 7,214 19 7,682 18
Total* 4,764 100 37,750 100 42,514 100

Comparison of large truck and passenger vehicle crashes

Ninety-six percent of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck in 2022 were occupants of the passenger vehicles.

Occupant deaths in two-vehicle crashes involving a large truck and a passenger vehicle, 2022
Occupant type Deaths %
Passenger vehicle occupants 2,418 96
Large truck occupants 105 4
All occupant deaths 2,523 100

Fifty percent of large truck occupant deaths in 2022 occurred in crashes in which their vehicles rolled over. This was higher than the percentage of SUV occupant deaths and pickup occupant deaths that occurred in rollover crashes and much higher than the percentage of occupant deaths in cars (21%) involving rollovers.

Occupant deaths by rollover occurrence and vehicle type, 2022
Vehicle type No rollover Rollover All crashes
Number % Number % Number %
Large truck 411 50 412 50 823 100
SUV 4,267 63 2,536 37 6,803 100
Pickup 2,860 61 1,841 39 4,701 100
Car 10,895 79 2,925 21 13,820 100
Total* 25,320 75 8,242 25 33,562 100

Fifty-six percent of large truck occupant deaths in 2022 occurred in single-vehicle crashes, compared with 45% of passenger vehicle occupant deaths.

Occupant deaths in large trucks and passenger vehicles by number of vehicles involved, 2022
Crash type Large truck occupants Passenger vehicle occupants
Number % Number %
Single-vehicle 462 56 11,457 45
Multiple-vehicle 361 44 14,269 55
All crashes* 823 100 25,726 100

Forty-four percent of fatally injured large truck drivers in 2022 were using seat belts, which was similar to fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers (45%). However, belt use was unknown for 19% of fatally injured large truck drivers, compared with 10% of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers.

Seat belt use among fatally injured large truck and passenger vehicle drivers, 2022
Belt use Large truck drivers Passenger vehicle drivers
Number % Number %
Belt used 320 44 8,841 45
Unbelted 266 37 8,714 45
Unknown 141 19 2,010 10
Total 727 100 19,565 100

Thirty-two percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes with a large truck in 2022 were in vehicles struck head-on by the truck and another 25% were in vehicles that were side-struck by the truck. Twenty-one percent involved the front of the passenger vehicle striking the rear of the large truck.

Passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2-vehicle crashes with a large truck, 2022
Large truck Passenger vehicle Total
Front Side Rear Other
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
Front 768 32 594 25 139 6 19 1 1,520 63
Side 281 12 40 2 0 0 8 <1 329 14
Rear 510 21 18 1 1 <1 3 <1 532 22
Other 21 1 3 <1 0 0 13 1 37 2
Total 1,580 65 655 27 140 6 43 2 2,418 100

Large truck drivers killed in fatal crashes are much less likely than passenger vehicle drivers to have high blood alcohol concentrations (BACs). Truck drivers are subject to strict government regulations concerning drinking and driving. Four percent of fatally injured large truck drivers had BACs at or above 0.08% in 2022. That proportion is far below the 17% seen in 1982. For comparison, 31% of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers in 2022 had BACs at or above 0.08%, down from 51% in 1982.

Estimated percent and number of fatally injured large truck and passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥0.08%, 1982-2022
Year Large truck drivers Passenger vehicle drivers
Deaths Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08 Deaths Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08
Number Number % Number Number %
1982 735 123 17 19,664 10,024 51
1983 767 115 15 19,338 9,529 49
1984 859 107 12 20,300 9,379 46
1985 775 84 11 20,058 8,674 43
1986 736 58 8 21,503 9,396 44
1987 686 53 8 22,157 9,343 42
1988 743 66 9 22,884 9,580 42
1989 681 68 10 22,554 9,200 41
1990 570 50 9 21,953 8,973 41
1991 550 39 7 20,551 8,242 40
1992 506 26 5 19,573 7,434 38
1993 504 26 5 20,036 7,328 37
1994 545 36 7 20,647 7,083 34
1995 546 31 6 21,457 7,488 35
1996 525 34 6 21,631 7,336 34
1997 616 19 3 21,711 7,069 33
1998 628 30 5 21,627 6,944 32
1999 631 28 4 21,899 6,994 32
2000 641 28 4 21,819 7,127 33
2001 591 22 4 21,862 7,205 33
2002 582 38 7 22,537 7,381 33
2003 608 23 4 22,200 7,120 32
2004 624 24 4 21,952 6,952 32
2005 663 22 3 21,953 7,104 32
2006 678 30 4 21,592 7,164 33
2007 663 17 3 20,542 7,057 34
2008 534 19 4 18,266 6,280 34
2009 399 16 4 16,834 5,791 34
2010 426 17 4 16,029 5,177 32
2011 493 9 2 15,561 5,064 33
2012 524 14 3 15,915 5,204 33
2013 529 17 3 15,577 5,108 33
2014 536 16 3 15,495 4,906 32
2015 536 16 3 16,629 4,916 30
2016 590 17 3 17,641 5,149 29
2017 604 29 5 17,751 5,116 29
2018 583 18 3 17,263 4,957 29
2019 601 15 3 16,878 4,791 28
2020 556 40 7 18,316 5,540 30
2021 672 32 5 20,349 6,191 30
2022 727 27 4 19,565 6,042 31