Truck-Related Fatalities Rise in 2003, but Remain Below 5,000
he number of truck-related fatalities on U.S. highways increased to 4,986 in 2003 from 4,939 the year before, but it was only the second time since 1995 the number was lower than 5,000, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday.
"The statistics show the trucking industry must continue working with the larger highway community as the majority of truck crashes involve at least one passenger vehicle, and, that errors on the part of passenger car drivers cause up to 75% of all car-truck crashes," American Trucking Associations said in a statement.
NHTSA’s preliminary report released in April said 4,942 people died in truck-related highway crashes.
Overall, the highway fatality rate fell to its lowest point since the government began keeping records 29 years ago, NHTSA said.
A total of 42,643 people in highway crashes last year, down 0.8% from the 43,005 who died a year earlier. That decline — combined with an increase in vehicle miles traveled to 2.88 trillion in 2003 from 2.86 trillion — pushed the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled to a record-low 1.48 from 1.51.
“America’s road and highways are safer than ever,” Mineta said in an Aug. 10 statement. “The decreasing number of traffic fatalities and record low death rate on our roads shows that we are headed down the right road — one that leads to a safer America.”
