Citation

Seiff HE. Proc. Int. Tech. Conf. Enhanced Safety Vehicles 1993; 1993: 1257-1265.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, In public domain, Publisher National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In contrast to public concern over "killer trucks", large truck fatality and accident rates in the United States are falling, namely: (1) a fatality rate from 3.64/10 (super 8) km in 1976 to 2.31 in 1989; and (2) an accident rate from 2.20/10 (super 6) km in 1979 to 1.53 in 1989. Large truck occupant fatalities decreased 24% from 1976 to 1989, as safety belt use increased from 6% to 40% (and up to 56% in 1991). But the fatality rate remains 70% higher than the rate for passenger cars, because the mass of a truck puts occupants in other vehicles at greater risk. Double trailer combinations are not over represented in fatal accidents, but bobtail tractors are. Large trucks are one-fourth as likely to be involved in a fatal accident on limited-access highways as on other highways, and one-third as likely to have a fatal accident in daytime travel as at night.