Truck Accident Statistics

Fortunately, 2010 is the second lowest year for total number of crashes and total number of fatal crashes since 2005. While that’s a good thing, it’s certainly no reason to get complacent. Here are some truck accidents statistics for Pa. as well as nationwide.

Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants rather than occupants of large trucks. 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.

Truck braking capability can be a factor in truck crashes. Loaded tractor-trailers take 20-40 percent farther than cars to stop, and the discrepancy is greater when trailers are empty, 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 and up to 77 hours over a 7-day period. Surveys indicate that many drivers violate the regulations and work longer than permitted.

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What are the top 10 Pennsylvania counties with the most traffic related deaths in 2010?

7% - Philadelphia
5.3% - Allegheny
4.9% - Lancaster
3.4% - Bucks
3.3% - Westmoreland
3 % - Berks
3% - Erie
3% - Dauphin
2.6% - Monroe
2% - York

What are the top 10 Pennsylvania counties with most reported traffic crashes in 2010?

9.3% - Allegheny
9 % - Philadelphia
8% - Montgomery
5% - Bucks
4.2% - Lancaster
3.8% - Berks
3.7% - Lehigh
3.7% - York
3.6% - Delaware
3.5% - Chester

In 2010, there were more heavy truck accidents on these types of Pennsylvania roads:

1,340 crashes	4 deaths	state highways (interstates)
3,413 crashes	17 deaths	state highways
416 crashes	3 deaths	turnpikes
617 crashes	3 deaths	local roads
6 crashes	0 deaths	other
5,846 crashes	27 deaths	total

Comparison for number of fatal truck crashes in Pennsylvania categorized by year:

Year	Fatalities	Total Crashes
2006	167	6657
2007	178	7087
2008	166	5972
2009	122	5247
2101	145	5846

Why do Pennsylvania heavy trucks fail or crash?

Here are some truck defects:

119	tire related
74	brake related
43	overloaded
30	power train failure
24	steering failure
7	trailer hitch problems
5	suspension
4	exhaust system
4	vehicle lights
4	other

Nationwide, a total of 3,413 people died in large truck crashes in 2010. Fourteen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 72 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 13 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists. Fewer people died in large truck crashes in 2009 than in any year since data on fatal crashes began to be collected in 1975, but the number of these deaths increased by 8 percent in 2010.

Truck crash deaths are more likely to occur during morning and daytime hours than crash deaths not involving trucks, which are more frequent during evening and nighttime hours. During 2010, 50% of large truck crash deaths occurred between 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Deaths in large truck crashes and other crashes by time of day
Time of day	Large truck crashes		Other crashes		All crashes
	Deaths	%	Deaths	%	Deaths	%
Midnight - 3 a.m.	246	7	3,910	13	4,156	13
3 a.m. - 6 a.m.	336	10	2,431	8	2,767	8
6 a.m. - 9 a.m.	490	14	2,674	9	3,164	10
9 a.m. - Noon	575	17	2,636	9	3,211	10
Noon - 3 p.m.	647	19	3,702	13	4,349	13
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.	530	16	4,809	16	5,339	16
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.	337	10	4,841	16	5,178	16
9 p.m. - Midnight	250	7	4,225	14	4,475	14
Total*	3,413	100	29,472	100	32,885	100

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During 2010, 17% of large truck crash deaths occurred on Saturday and Sunday, compared to 37 percent of crash deaths not involving large trucks.

In 2010:

• Large trucks accounted for 4 percent of registered vehicles and 10 percent of miles traveled.
• 9% of motor vehicle crash deaths in 2010 occurred in large truck crashes.
• 56% of large truck occupants killed in multiple-vehicle crashes occurred in collisions involving another large truck.