Fatal-Crash Rate Involving Large Trucks Falls to Record Low

he rate of fatalities last year in crashes involving large trucks fell to its lowest level since the Department of Transportation began keeping records in 1975, according to DOT figures.

Newly released vehicle-mileage figures released by DOT’s Federal Highway Administration, which are used to help determine crash rates for all vehicles, show the 2004 rate for large trucks stood at 1.96 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle-miles-traveled.

The rate is the lowest since DOT began tracking large-truck safety records in 1975, and breaks the previous low of 1.97 fatal crashes per 100 million VMT set in 2002.

The record-low improvement in the fatal crash rate comes despite an increase in the number of vehicles on the road. According to FHWA, there were nearly 6.3 million more registered cars and trucks in 2004 than in 2003.

“The numbers show a continuing improvement in U.S. highway safety within the trucking industry and among our professional drivers,” American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves said in a statement.