In one recent year, heavy trucks accounted for 67 of the 1,030 vehicles involved in fatal South Carolina traffic crashes, accounting for 6.5 percent of fatal accidents in the state. These accidents took the lives of 49 occupants of other vehicles, 10 truckers and 6 people who were not in a vehicle.
Large trucks accounted for 9 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes nationwide, and 3 percent of accidents that caused only injuries or property damage, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In a single recent year, 3,964 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks in the United States, accounting for 9 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes. Roughly 342,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes. (NHTSA)
That year, 71 percent of the large truck accident fatalities were occupants of other vehicles, 11 percent were not in a vehicle and 17 percent were occupants of large trucks. (NHTSA)
In the United States in a single recent year, 95,000 people were injured in accidents involving large trucks, a decrease from the 104,000 injured in the previous year. 72 percent of those injured in large truck accidents were occupants of other vehicles, 25 percent were occupants of large trucks and 2 percent were not in vehicles. (NHTSA)
Large trucks are more likely to be part of a fatal multi-vehicle crash, rather than a fatal single-vehicle crash. 80 percent of large truck fatal crashes are multi-vehicle accidents, compared to 58 percent of accidents involving only passenger vehicles. In 45 percent of two-vehicle fatal accidents, both the large truck and the other vehicle were proceeding straight at the time of the incident. In 8 percent of the crashes, the other vehicle was turning. In 28 percent, either the truck or the other vehicle was turning. In 6 percent of fatal accidents, either the truck or the other vehicle was stopped or parked in a traffic lane. (NHTSA)
Both vehicles were impacted in the front in 29 percent of the two-vehicle fatal accidents involving a large truck and another type of vehicle. The truck was struck in the rear more than three times as often as the other vehicle – 18 percent compared to 6 percent, respectively. (NHTSA)
Almost 19 percent of all large truck drivers involved in fatal accidents had at least one prior speeding conviction, compared to 18 percent of passenger car drivers involved in fatal accidents. (NHTSA)
In 2013, large trucks accounted for 3 percent of all registered vehicles and 10 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled. (NHTSA)
