Fatality Facts 2020Large 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 percent more distance than cars to stop, and the discrepancy is greater on wet and slippery roads or with poorly maintained brakes. Truck driver fatigue also is 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, A. T., Hellinga L. A., & Solomon, M. G. (2008). Work schedules of long-distance truck drivers before and after 2004 hours-of-service rule change. Traffic Injury Prevention, 9, 201-210.

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

Posted May 2022.

Trends

A total of 4,014 people died in large truck crashes in 2020. Fifteen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 68 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 16 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 28 percent higher in 2020 than in 2009, when it was the lowest it has been since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975. The number of truck occupants who died was 35 percent higher than in 2009.

Deaths in crashes involving large trucks, 1975-2020

Deaths in crashes involving large trucks, 1975-2020
Year	Passenger vehicle occupants		Large truck occupants		Motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians		Total*
Year	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
1975	2,757	64	916	21	528	12	4,305	100
1976	3,071	63	1,100	22	622	13	4,893	100
1977	3,631	65	1,229	22	653	12	5,614	100
1978	3,954	64	1,315	21	776	13	6,160	100
1979	4,226	65	1,372	21	830	13	6,539	100
1980	3,623	63	1,183	21	844	15	5,740	100
1981	3,752	66	1,082	19	772	14	5,680	100
1982	3,448	67	917	18	679	13	5,125	100
1983	3,615	67	960	18	732	14	5,404	100
1984	3,713	67	1,040	19	712	13	5,550	100
1985	3,825	68	941	17	724	13	5,613	100
1986	3,752	69	892	16	718	13	5,468	100
1987	3,833	70	821	15	712	13	5,471	100
1988	3,938	71	886	16	647	12	5,566	100
1989	3,847	72	822	15	587	11	5,360	100
1990	3,790	73	684	13	615	12	5,174	100
1991	3,447	73	650	14	562	12	4,728	100
1992	3,300	75	580	13	481	11	4,422	100
1993	3,611	76	590	12	462	10	4,778	100
1994	3,764	74	658	13	555	11	5,069	100
1995	3,626	75	634	13	495	10	4,834	100
1996	3,866	77	602	12	465	9	5,048	100
1997	3,992	75	717	14	497	9	5,295	100
1998	3,981	75	739	14	495	9	5,316	100
1999	3,916	74	747	14	519	10	5,299	100
2000	3,863	75	737	14	490	9	5,173	100
2001	3,709	74	691	14	513	10	5,012	100
2002	3,616	75	675	14	464	10	4,846	100
2003	3,595	73	703	14	504	10	4,905	100
2004	3,693	72	743	15	564	11	5,099	100
2005	3,584	71	758	15	595	12	5,049	100
2006	3,466	71	774	16	564	12	4,886	100
2007	3,234	70	745	16	578	13	4,613	100
2008	2,774	69	615	15	580	14	4,017	100
2009	2,223	71	449	14	443	14	3,147	100
2010	2,453	72	475	14	445	13	3,418	100
2011	2,245	66	555	16	530	16	3,384	100
2012	2,362	67	590	17	537	15	3,529	100
2013	2,418	67	589	16	560	15	3,616	100
2014	2,486	68	585	16	535	15	3,663	100
2015	2,667	69	598	15	568	15	3,876	100
2016	2,660	66	662	16	641	16	4,023	100
2017	2,809	68	680	17	587	14	4,115	100
2018	2,810	67	677	16	624	15	4,164	100
2019	2,772	67	680	16	636	15	4,142	100
2020	2,713	68	608	15	640	16	4,014	100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Ninety-seven percent of vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck in 2020 were occupants of the passenger vehicles.

Occupant deaths in two-vehicle crashes involving a large truck and a passenger vehicle, 2020
Occupant type	Deaths	%
Passenger vehicle occupants	2,129	97
Large truck occupants	70	3
All occupant deaths	2,199	100

Ten percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2020 occurred in large truck crashes.

Motor vehicle crash deaths occurring in large truck crashes and other crashes, 2020
Crash type	Deaths	%
Large truck crashes	4,014	10
Other crashes	34,810	90
All crashes	38,824	100

Seventy-four percent of deaths in large truck crashes in 2020 were in crashes involving tractor-trailers and 27 percent 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, 2020
Truck type	Deaths	%
Tractor-trailer	2,983	74
Single-unit	1,083	27
Truck type unknown	24	1
NOTE: More than one large truck may be involved in a single crash and the deaths associated with that crash.

Fifty-seven percent of large truck occupants killed in multiple-vehicle crashes in 2020 occurred in collisions involving another large truck.

Deaths of large truck occupants in multiple-vehicle crashes by number of large trucks involved, 2020
Number of large trucks	Deaths	%
1	106	43
≥ 2	142	57
Total	248	100

Eleven percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths and 21 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in multiple-vehicle crashes in 2020 occurred in crashes with large trucks.

Passenger vehicle occupant deaths by crash type and large truck involvement, 2020
Crash type	Large truck crashes		Other crashes		All crashes
Crash type	Number	%	Number	%	Number
Single-vehicle	0	0	11,250	100	11,250
Multiple-vehicle	2,713	21	10,056	79	12,769
All crashes*	2,713	11	21,306	89	24,019
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Among vehicle occupants killed in large truck crashes, both the rate of passenger vehicle occupant deaths per truck mile traveled and the rate of large truck occupant deaths per truck mile traveled have declined substantially since 1975. Federal Highway Administration. (2022). Highway statistics, 2020. U.S. Department of Transportation.

Occupant deaths in large truck crashes per 100 million truck miles traveled

Occupant deaths in large truck crashes per 100 million truck miles traveled, 1975-2020
Year	Truck miles traveled in millions	Large truck occupants		Passenger vehicle occupants
Year	Truck miles traveled in millions	Number	Rate	Number	Rate
1975	81,330	916	1.13	2,757	3.39
1976	86,070	1,100	1.28	3,071	3.57
1977	95,021	1,229	1.29	3,631	3.82
1978	105,739	1,315	1.24	3,954	3.74
1979	109,004	1,372	1.26	4,226	3.88
1980	108,491	1,183	1.09	3,623	3.34
1981	108,702	1,082	1.00	3,752	3.45
1982	111,423	917	0.82	3,448	3.09
1983	116,132	960	0.83	3,615	3.11
1984	121,796	1,040	0.85	3,713	3.05
1985	123,504	941	0.76	3,825	3.10
1986	126,675	892	0.70	3,752	2.96
1987	133,517	821	0.61	3,833	2.87
1988	137,985	886	0.64	3,938	2.85
1989	142,749	822	0.58	3,847	2.69
1990	146,242	684	0.47	3,790	2.59
1991	149,543	650	0.43	3,447	2.31
1992	153,384	580	0.38	3,300	2.15
1993	159,888	590	0.37	3,611	2.26
1994	170,216	658	0.39	3,764	2.21
1995	178,162	634	0.36	3,626	2.04
1996	182,971	602	0.33	3,866	2.11
1997	191,477	717	0.37	3,992	2.08
1998	196,380	739	0.38	3,981	2.03
1999	202,688	747	0.37	3,916	1.93
2000	205,520	737	0.36	3,863	1.88
2001	209,032	691	0.33	3,709	1.77
2002	214,603	675	0.31	3,616	1.68
2003	217,917	703	0.32	3,595	1.65
2004	220,792	743	0.34	3,693	1.67
2005	222,523	758	0.34	3,584	1.61
2006	222,513	774	0.35	3,466	1.56
2007	304,178	745	0.24	3,234	1.06
2008	310,680	615	0.20	2,774	0.89
2009	288,306	449	0.16	2,223	0.77
2010	286,527	475	0.17	2,453	0.86
2011	267,594	555	0.21	2,245	0.84
2012	269,207	590	0.22	2,362	0.88
2013	275,017	589	0.21	2,418	0.88
2014	279,132	585	0.21	2,486	0.89
2015	279,844	598	0.21	2,667	0.95
2016	287,895	662	0.23	2,660	0.92
2017	297,593	680	0.23	2,809	0.94
2018	304,864	677	0.22	2,810	0.92
2019	300,050	680	0.23	2,772	0.92
2020	302,141	608	0.20	2,713	0.90
NOTE: The method of estimating truck miles traveled was changed beginning in 2007, and these results are not comparable to those of past years. For more information, visit https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm

Where and when large truck crashes occurred

Forty-seven percent of deaths in large truck crashes in 2020 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways, 36 percent occurred on interstates and freeways, and 15 percent occurred on minor roads.

Deaths in large truck crashes by road type, 2020
Road type	Deaths	%
Interstates and freeways	1,428	36
Other major roads	1,904	47
Minor roads	612	15
All road types*	4,014	100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Forty-eight percent of large truck crash deaths in 2020 occurred from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., compared with 28 percent of crash deaths not involving large trucks.

Deaths in large truck crashes and other crashes by time of day, 2020
Time of day	Large truck crashes		Other crashes		All crashes
Time of day	Deaths	%	Deaths	%	Deaths	%
Midnight - 3 a.m.	319	8	3,948	11	4,267	11
3 a.m. - 6 a.m.	400	10	2,758	8	3,158	8
6 a.m. - 9 a.m.	601	15	2,853	8	3,454	9
9 a.m. - noon	654	16	2,759	8	3,413	9
Noon - 3 p.m.	688	17	4,125	12	4,813	12
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.	587	15	5,497	16	6,084	16
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.	391	10	6,622	19	7,013	18
9 p.m. - midnight	363	9	5,928	17	6,291	16
Total*	4,014	100	34,810	100	38,824	100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Seventeen percent of large truck crash deaths in 2020 occurred on Saturday and Sunday, compared with 35 percent of crash deaths not involving large trucks.

Deaths in large truck crashes and other crashes by day of week, 2020
Day of Week	Large truck crashes		Other crashes		All crashes
Day of Week	Deaths	%	Deaths	%	Deaths	%
Sunday	279	7	5,835	17	6,114	16
Monday	637	16	4,201	12	4,838	12
Tuesday	671	17	4,187	12	4,858	13
Wednesday	689	17	4,366	13	5,055	13
Thursday	681	17	4,540	13	5,221	13
Friday	665	17	5,361	15	6,026	16
Saturday	392	10	6,320	18	6,712	17
Total*	4,014	100	34,810	100	38,824	100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Comparison of large truck and passenger vehicle crashes

Fifty percent of large truck occupant deaths in 2020 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 (22 percent) involving rollovers.

Occupant deaths by rollover occurrence and vehicle type, 2020
Vehicle type	No rollover		Rollover		All crashes
Vehicle type	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Large truck	302	50	306	50	608	100
SUV	3,445	60	2,312	40	5,757	100
Pickup	2,600	59	1,790	41	4,390	100
Car	10,590	78	2,988	22	13,578	100
Total*	23,154	74	7,961	26	31,115	100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Fifty-nine percent of large truck occupant deaths in 2020 occurred in single-vehicle crashes, compared with 47 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths.

Occupant deaths in large trucks and passenger vehicles by number of vehicles involved, 2020
Crash type	Large truck occupants		Passenger vehicle occupants
Crash type	Number	%	Number	%
Single-vehicle	360	59	11,250	47
Multiple-vehicle	248	41	12,769	53
All crashes*	608	100	24,019	100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Eighteen percent of large trucks in fatal crashes in 2020 were involved in single-vehicle crashes; in contrast, 37 percent of passenger vehicles in fatal crashes were involved in single-vehicle crashes.

Large truck and passenger vehicle involvement in fatal crashes by number of vehicles involved, 2020
Crash type	Large trucks		Passenger vehicles
Crash type	Number	%	Number	%
Single vehicle	689	18	15,859	37
Two vehicles	2,349	61	19,571	46
> 2 vehicles	836	22	6,934	16
All crashes*	3,874	100	42,364	100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Forty-seven percent of fatally injured large truck drivers in 2020 were using seat belts, which was similar to fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers (44 percent). However, belt use was unknown for 17 percent of fatally injured large truck drivers, compared with 10 percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers.

Seat belt use among fatally injured large truck and passenger vehicle drivers, 2020
Belt use	Large truck drivers		Passenger vehicle drivers
Belt use	Number	%	Number	%
Belt used	262	47	8,086	44
Unbelted	199	36	8,360	46
Unknown	94	17	1,815	10
Total	555	100	18,261	100

Thirty percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes with a large truck in 2020 were in vehicles struck head-on by the truck and another 25 percent were in vehicles that were side-struck by the truck. Twenty-three 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, 2020
Large truck	Passenger vehicle								Total
	Front		Side		Rear		Other		Total
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Front	632	30	522	25	145	7	18	1	1317	62
Side	246	12	35	2	7	<1	8	<1	296	14
Rear	487	23	7	<1	0	0	5	<1	499	23
Other	11	1	1	<1	0	0	5	<1	17	1
Total	1376	65	565	27	152	7	36	2	2129	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. However, the percentage of fatally injured large truck drivers with BACs at or above 0.08 percent more than doubled in 2020 to 7 percent, compared with 2019. That proportion is still far below the 17 percent seen in 1982. For comparison, 30 percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers in 2020 had BACs at or above 0.08 percent, down from 51 percent in 1982.

Estimated percent and number of fatally injured large truck and passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥0.08 percent, 1982-2020
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	555	41	7	18,261	5,550	30