USA Banner
  U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Here's how you knowOfficial US Government Icon
              **Official websites use .gov**A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            Secure Site Icon
              **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                  A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
 U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation
 Search DOT
            Search
                        About FMCSAAbout FMCSA
  

        
              Who We Are
                Mission
                Leadership
                Speaker Request Form
                Field Offices
                Policy
                Career Center
                Contact UsResources
  

        
              Frequently Asked Questions
                Grants
                FMCSA Advisory Committees
                Resources for State and Local Partners
                Reports to Congress
                National Training Center
                Motor Carrier Safety Planner
                Information Systems Overview
                ITD
                PRISM
                Your Roads. Their Freedom. (Stop Human Trafficking)RegulationsRegulations, Rules, & Notices
  

        
              FMCSA Guidance
                Regulations and Interpretations
                Rulemakings Documents
                Federal Register NoticesEnforcement
  

        
              Adjudication Decisions
                Civil Penalties
                Uniform Fine AssessmentTopics
  

        
              Medical
                National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners
                Exemptions
                Petitions for Rulemaking
                Petitions for Reconsideration
                Drug & Alcohol Testing
                Hours of Service
                New Entrant Safety Assurance Program
                Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)
                ADA Requirements for Over-the-Road Bus Companies
                Cargo SecurementRegistrationRegistration
  

        
              Do I Need a USDOT Number?
                Daily Register / Certificates / Letters
                Learn About Registration RequirementsMain Menu - Registration - Registration 2
  

        
              Apply for a New USDOT Number and/or Authority
                Update My USDOT Number and/or Authority
                FMCSA Contact CenterCDLCommercial Driver's License
  

        
              Licensing Overview and Resources
                Military Driver ProgramsMain Menu - CDL - CDL 2
  

        
              Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP)
                State ResourcesSafetyMain Menu - Safety -1
  

        
              Passenger Carrier and Bus Safety
                Our Roads, Our SafetyR
                Household Goods - Protect Your Move
                Report a Violation
                Company Safety Data
                CertificationMain Menu - Safety -2
  

        
              International Safety
                Hazardous Materials Safety
                Driver Safety
                Carrier Safety
                Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety
                Coercion/HarassmentResearchAnalysis, Research, & Technology
  

        
              Overview
                Tech-Celerate Now
                Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP)
                Active Research Projects
                Reports and PublicationsData and Statistics
  

        
              Safety Progress Report
                Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics
                Large Truck and Bus Crash FactsNewsNews
  

        
              Newsroom
                Emergency Declarations
                Press Releases and AnnouncementsConnect with us
  

        
              FMCSA on Facebook
                FMCSA on Handshake
                FMCSA on Linkedin
                FMCSA on Medium (Blog)
                FMCSA on X (formerly Twitter)
                FMCSA on YouTube
                DOT on YouTubeMenu Home
                        Safety
                        Data and StatisticsIn This Section
        Analysis, Research, and Technology
                Active Research Projects
                Completed Research Projects
                Data & Statistics
                                Analysis and Information (A&I) Online
                Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts
                Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics
                Safety Progress Reports
                Research and Technology Programs
                Reports & Publications
                Our Divisions
                                Analysis
                Research
                Technology
                
                Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2018
    

    
    
          This online edition of*Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts*provides Excel files containing data for each of the report's data tables and graphs. A printable version of the complete report is also available.

Contents

Introduction
	Trends
	Trends: Tables and Figures
	Crashes
	Crashes: Tables
	Vehicles
	Vehicles: Tables
	People
	People: Tables**Note: Data Revisions.** FHWA implemented an enhanced methodology for estimating registered vehicles and vehicle miles traveled by vehicle type beginning with data from 2007. As a result, involvement rates may differ, and in some cases significantly, from earlier years. Separately, NHTSA retired GES in 2017, replacing it with CRSS. CRSS builds on GES, beginning with data for 2016. Although the two systems are both samples of police-reported crashes involving all types of motor vehicles, CRSS includes a more efficient and flexible sample using updated traffic and demographic information. As a result, comparisons of 2016 (and later) CRSS estimates with older GES estimates should be performed with caution.

Introduction

This annual edition of Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts contains descriptive statistics about fatal, injury, and property damage only crashes involving large trucks and buses in 2018. Selected crash statistics on passenger vehicles are also presented for comparison purposes.

Data Sources

The information in this report was compiled by the Analysis Division of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The major sources for the data are described below:

**Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS):**FARS, maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is a census of fatal crashes involving motor vehicles traveling on public trafficways. FARS is recognized as the most reliable national crash database, but it contains information only on fatal crashes. A large truck is defined in FARS as a truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 10,000 pounds. A bus is defined in FARS as any motor vehicle designed primarily to transport nine or more persons, including the driver. The 2018 FARS data are considered preliminary for one year. This additional time provides the opportunity for submission of important variable data requiring outside sources, which may lead to changes in the final counts. The updated final counts for 2017 are reflected in this report. Updated final counts for 2018 will be reflected in the 2019 annual report. For more information on FARS, go to https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars.
	**General Estimates System (GES):** GES, also maintained by NHTSA, is a probability-based nationally representative sample of police-reported fatal, injury, and property damage only crashes. The data from GES yield national estimates, calculated using a weighting procedure, but cannot give State-level estimates. Because GES is a sample of motor vehicle crashes, the results generated are estimates rounded to the nearest one thousand; however, associated percentages and rates are based on the unrounded data. The GES definitions of a large truck and a bus are the same as the FARS definitions. In 2017, NHTSA retired GES and replaced it with the Crash Report Sampling System. As a result, comparisons of 2015 (and earlier) GES estimates with newer Crash Report Sampling System estimates should be performed with caution. For more information on GES, go to https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/national-automotive-sampling-system-nass.
	**Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS):** NHTSA’s newly established CRSS builds on GES, beginning with data for 2016. Although the two systems are both samples of police-reported crashes involving all types of motor vehicles, CRSS includes a more efficient and flexible sample using updated traffic and demographic information. As a result, comparisons of 2016 (and later) CRSS estimates with older GES estimates should be performed with caution. To learn more about CRSS, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/national-center-statistics-and-analysis-ncsa/crash-report-sampling-system-crss#crash-report-sampling-system-crss-data-files.
	**Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) Crash File:** The MCMIS Crash File, maintained by FMCSA, contains data on trucks and buses in crashes that meet the SAFETYNET recommended threshold. A SAFETYNET reportable crash must involve a truck, used for commercial purposes, with a GVWR or gross combination weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds; a commercial bus designed to transport nine or more persons, including the driver; or any vehicle carrying hazardous material that requires placarding, regardless of the vehicle’s weight. The crash must result in at least one fatality, at least one injury involving immediate medical attention away from the crash scene, or at least one vehicle disabled as a result of the crash and transported away from the crash scene. The crashes are reported by the States to FMCSA through the SAFETYNET computer software. The MCMIS Crash File is intended to be a census of trucks and buses involved in fatal, injury, and towaway crashes; however, some States do not report all FMCSA-eligible crashes, and some report more than those that are eligible. FMCSA continues to work with the States to improve data quality and reporting of eligible large truck and bus crashes to the MCMIS crash file.FARS, GES, CRSS, and MCMIS describe the events and details of motor vehicle crashes, but they do not include data on crash causation or fault.

**Highway Statistics:** *Highway Statistics* is an annual publication of the Office of Highway Policy Information of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). State agencies report the data, ranging from driver licensing to highway finance, and FHWA aggregates them to get national totals. This report takes vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and vehicle registrations from Table VM-1 of Highway Statistics, “Annual Vehicle Distance Traveled in Miles and Related Data.” Readers are warned to be careful of crash rate data based on the VMT numbers from FHWA. Beginning with data for 2007, FHWA implemented an enhanced methodology for estimating registered vehicles and VMT by vehicle type. The new methodology did not change the total VMT, but it did make a large difference in the number of miles traveled attributed to large trucks and buses. As a result, it would be misleading to cite large truck and bus data trends that encompassed both the years before 2007 and the years following. For more information on VMT data, go towww.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2018.Organization of the Report

The report is organized into four chapters: Trends, Crashes, Vehicles, and People. The Trends chapter shows data for 2018 in the context of available historical data for past years. In the other chapters, the 2018 data are shown in different ways, according to what is being counted. Three-year trends in fatal crashes are presented for historical perspective when appropriate. The Crashes chapter counts numbers of crashes; the Vehicles chapter counts vehicles in crashes; and the People chapter counts persons of all types involved in crashes. Four different types of counts are shown:

**Crashes:**Numbers of crashes involving various vehicle types.
	**Vehicles in Crashes:** Numbers of vehicles involved in crashes. These counts may be larger than the number of crashes (fatal, injury, or property damage only), because more than one vehicle may be involved in a single crash.
	**People in Crashes:** Numbers of people killed or injured in crashes. These counts generally are larger than the number of crashes (fatal or injury), because more than one person may be killed or injured in a single crash. People killed or injured may be occupants of a large truck or bus, occupants of another vehicle, or nonmotorists (pedestrians or pedalcyclists).
	**Drivers in Crashes:**Numbers of vehicle drivers involved in crashes. These counts generally are equal to the numbers of vehicles involved in crashes.Trends

The tables in this chapter present crash statistics for large trucks and buses over time. Fatal crash statistics generally are available from 1975, the first year of FARS data, through 2018. In some cases, such as for alcohol involvement, data are available only from 1981 or 1982 through 2018. Nonfatal crash statistics are presented for 1997 through 2018. From 1997 through 2015, they are based on GES data, but starting with 2016, they are based on the new CRSS data. Although the two systems are both samples of police-reported crashes involving all types of motor vehicles, CRSS includes a more efficient and flexible sample using updated traffic and demographic information. As a result, comparisons of 2016 (and later) CRSS estimates with older GES estimates should be performed with caution. The statistics shown in this chapter represent crashes, vehicles, drivers, fatalities, and injuries in crashes. Below is a summary of some of the trend information in this section:

In 2018, 5,096 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes, a 1-percent increase from 2017. Although the number of large trucks and buses in fatal crashes has increased by 48 percent from its low of 3,432 in 2009, the 2018 number is still 3 percent lower than the 21st-century peak of 5,231 in 2005. From 2017 to 2018, large truck and bus fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by all motor vehicles remained constant at 0.160, 22 percent below the 21st-century peak of 0.205 in 2000.
	There was a 34-percent decrease in the number of fatal crashes involving large trucks or buses between 2005 and 2009, followed by an increase of 45 percent between 2009 and 2018. From 2017 to 2018, the number of fatal crashes involving large trucks or buses increased by 1 percent.
	The number of injury crashes involving large trucks or buses decreased steadily from 102,000 in 2002 to 60,000 in 2009 (a decline of 41 percent). From 2009 to 2015, injury crashes increased 62 percent to 97,000 (based on GES data). From 2016 to 2018, according to NHTSA's CRSS data, large truck and bus injury crashes increased 8 percent (from 112,000 in 2016 to 121,000 in 2018).
	On average, from 2008 to 2018, intercity buses accounted for 12 percent, and school buses and transit buses accounted for 40 percent and 35 percent, respectively, of all buses involved in fatal crashes.
	In 2018, there were 85 school buses and 15 intercity buses involved in fatal crashes, both of which were the second-lowest numbers recorded since FARS began in 1975, with 2017's counts of 73 and 13, respectively, being the lowest.
	Over the past year (from 2017 to 2018):
	The number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes increased 1 percent, from 4,804 to 4,862, and the large truck involvement rate (large trucks involved in fatal crashes per 100 million miles traveled by large trucks) decreased 1 percent, from 1.61 to 1.59.
		The number of large trucks involved in injury crashes increased by 5 percent, from 107,000 to 112,000.
		The number of large trucks involved in property damage only crashes increased by 14 percent, from 363,000 to 414,000.
		The number of buses involved in fatal crashes remained steady at 234.Detailed List of Tables and Figures from Chapter 1 (Trends):

Trends Table 1. Large Truck and Bus Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 2. Large Truck and Bus Injury Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 3. Large Truck and Bus Property Damage Only (PDO) Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 4. Large Truck Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2018
	Trends Figure 1. Fatal Crashes, Vehicles in Fatal Crashes, and Fatalities in Large Truck Crashes, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 5. Passenger Vehicle Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2018
	Trends Figure 2. Large Trucks and Passenger Vehicles Involved in Fatal Crashes per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Vehicle Type, 1975-2018
	Trends Figure 3. Fatalities in Crashes Involving Large Trucks and Passenger Vehicles per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Vehicle Type, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 6. All Motor Vehicle Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 7. Large Truck Injury Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 8. Passenger Vehicle Injury Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Figure 4. Large Trucks and Passenger Vehicles Involved in Injury Crashes per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Vehicle Type, 1998-2018
	Trends Figure 5. Persons Injured in Large Truck and Passenger Vehicle Crashes per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Vehicle Type, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 9. All Motor Vehicle Injury Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 10. Large Truck Property Damage Only (PDO) Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 11. Passenger Vehicle Property Damage Only (PDO) Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Figure 6. Large Trucks and Passenger Vehicles Involved in Property Damage Only (PDO) Crashes per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Vehicle Type, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 12. All Motor Vehicle Property Damage Only (PDO) Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 13. Vehicle Occupants Killed in Large Truck Crashes by Vehicle Type, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 14. Nonmotorists and Vehicle Occupants Killed in Large Truck Crashes, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 15. Drivers in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Type and Blood Alcohol Concentration, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 16. Combination Truck Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 17. Single-Unit Truck Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2018
	Trends Figure 7. Fatalities in Combination Truck and Single-Unit Truck Crashes per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Vehicle Type, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 18. Combination Truck Injury Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 19. Single-Unit Truck Injury Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Figure 8. Persons Injured in Combination Truck and Single-Unit Truck Crashes per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Vehicle Type, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 20. Combination Truck Property Damage Only (PDO) Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 21. Single-Unit Truck Property Damage Only (PDO) Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 22. Bus Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 23. Bus Injury Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 24. Bus Property Damage Only (PDO) Crash Statistics, 1998-2018
	Trends Table 25. Fatal Crashes Involving Buses by Type of Bus, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 26. Buses in Fatal Crashes by Type of Bus, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 27. Fatalities in Crashes Involving Buses by Type of Bus, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 28. Bus Occupant Fatalities in Crashes Involving Buses by Type of Bus, 1975-2018
	Trends Table 29. Fatalities in Crashes Involving Large Trucks by State, 2008-2018
	Trends Table 30. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by State, 2008-2018
	Trends Table 31. Large Trucks Involved in Fatal Crashes by State, 2008-2018
	Trends Table 32. Single-Vehicle Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by State, 2008-2018
	Trends Table 33. Multiple-Vehicle Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by State, 2008-2018Crashes

This chapter contains information on the circumstances of large truck crashes. Below is a summary of some of the information on crashes in 2018 in this section:

Of the approximately 499,000 police-reported crashes involving large trucks in 2018, there were 4,415 (1 percent) fatal crashes and 107,000 (21 percent) injury crashes.
	Single-vehicle crashes (including crashes that involved a bicyclist, pedestrian, nonmotorized vehicle, etc.) made up 21 percent of all fatal crashes, 13 percent of all injury crashes, and 23 percent of all property damage only crashes involving large trucks in 2018. The majority (62 percent) of fatal large truck crashes involved two vehicles.
	Fatal crashes involving large trucks often occur in rural areas and on Interstate highways. Approximately 57 percent of all fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred in rural areas, 26 percent occurred on Interstate highways, and 13 percent fell into both categories by occurring on rural Interstate highways.
	Thirty-six percent of all fatal crashes, 23 percent of all injury crashes, and 19 percent of all property damage only crashes involving large trucks occurred at night (6:00 pm to 6:00 am).
	The vast majority of fatal crashes (83 percent) and nonfatal crashes (88 percent) involving large trucks occurred on weekdays (Monday through Friday).
	Collision with a vehicle in transport was the first harmful event (the first event during a crash that resulted in injury or property damage) in 73 percent of fatal crashes involving large trucks, 84 percent of injury crashes involving large trucks, and 76 percent of property damage only crashes involving large trucks.
	Overturn (rollover) was the first harmful event in 4 percent of all fatal crashes involving large trucks and 2 percent of all nonfatal crashes involving large trucks.
	In 2018, 30 percent of work zone fatal crashes and 10 percent of work zone injury crashes involved at least one large truck.
	There were 13.5 fatal large truck crashes per million people in the United States in 2018, a 27-percent increase from 10.6 in 2010.
	In 2018, on average, there were 1.12 fatalities in fatal crashes involving large trucks. In 90 percent of those crashes, there was only one fatality. The majority, 82 percent, of fatalities were not occupants of the large truck.Detailed List of Tables from Chapter 2 (Crashes):

Crashes Table 1. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by First Harmful Event, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 2. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by First Harmful Event, Number of Vehicles Involved, and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 3. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Speed Limit, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 4. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Speed Limit and Number of Vehicles Involved, 2018
	Crashes Table 5. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Land Use and Functional System, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 6. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Land Use, Functional System, and Number of Vehicles Involved, 2018
	Crashes Table 7. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Time of Day, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 8. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Time of Day and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 9. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Day of Week, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 10. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Day of Week and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 11. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Trafficway Flow, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 12. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Trafficway Flow and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 13. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Relation to Junction, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 14. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Relation to Junction and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 15. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Relation to Roadway, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 16. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Relation to Roadway, Number of Vehicles Involved, and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 17. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Intersection Type, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 18. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Intersection Type and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 19. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Weather Conditions, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 20. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Weather Conditions and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 21. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Road Surface Conditions, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 22. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Road Surface Conditions and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 23. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Light Conditions, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 24. Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Light Conditions and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 25. Fatal Crashes by Work Zone, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 26. Crashes by Work Zone and Crash Severity, 2018
	Crashes Table 27. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks per State Population, 2010 and 2018
	Crashes Table 28. Fatal Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Number of Vehicles Involved, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 29. All Fatal Crashes by Number of Vehicles Involved, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 30. Fatal Large Truck Crashes by Number of Fatalities, 2016-2018
	Crashes Table 31. All Fatal Crashes by Number of Fatalities, 2016-2018Vehicles

This chapter presents information on large trucks involved in fatal, injury, and property damage only crashes. Some of the data in this chapter come from the MCMIS Crash File, which contains data on trucks and buses in crashes that meet the SAFETYNET crash severity thresholds. MCMIS data are used for the tables on crashes by vehicle configuration (Vehicles Table 2), cargo body type (Vehicles Table 4), gross vehicle weight rating (Vehicles Table 6), hazardous materials cargo (Vehicles Table 9), and hazardous materials released (Vehicles Table 11). SAFETYNET nonfatal crashes tend to be more serious than GES and CRSS nonfatal crashes, because the SAFETYNET threshold requires at least one injury involving immediate medical attention away from the crash scene, or at least one vehicle disabled as a result of the crash and transported away from the crash scene. Below is a summary of some of the information on vehicles in crashes in 2018 in this section:

In 2018, 4,862 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes. According to MCMIS, 59,933 large trucks were involved in injury crashes, and 111,291 were involved in towaway crashes.
	Hazardous materials (HM) cargo was present on 3 percent of the large trucks involved in fatal crashes and 2 percent of those in injury and towaway crashes. HM was released from the cargo compartments of 16 percent of the placarded trucks in these crashes. Flammable liquids (gasoline, fuel oil, etc.) accounted for 54 percent of the HM releases from cargo compartments in fatal crashes and 49 percent of the HM releases in injury and towaway crashes.
	"Collision with vehicle in transport" was recorded as the most harmful event for 74 percent of the large trucks involved in fatal crashes and for 78 percent of the large trucks involved in injury and towaway crashes.
	The critical precrash event for 74 percent of the large trucks in fatal crashes was another vehicle, person, animal, or object in the large truck’s lane or encroaching into it. Twenty-three percent of the large trucks in fatal crashes had critical precrash events of their own movement or loss of control.
	Singles (truck tractors pulling a single semi-trailer) accounted for 55 percent of the large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 2018; doubles (tractors pulling two trailers) made up 3 percent of the large trucks involved in fatal crashes; and triples (tractors pulling three trailers) accounted for 0.1 percent of all large trucks involved in fatal crashes.
	Vehicle-related factors were coded for 6 percent of the large trucks involved in fatal crashes and 3 percent of the passenger vehicles involved in fatal crashes. "Other Working Vehicle" and "Tires" were the most common vehicle-related factors for large trucks in fatal crashes, at 2 percent and 1 percent, respectively. "Tires" was the most frequently coded vehicle-related factor for passenger vehicles in fatal crashes, at 1 percent.
	From 2015 to 2018:
	The number of large trucks in fatal crashes weighing 10,001 to 14,000 pounds increased 330 percent, from 144 to 619.
		The number of medium/heavy pickup trucks in fatal crashes increased 201 percent, from 133 to 400.
		The number of large trucks with no issuing authority in fatal crashes increased 147 percent, from 295 to 730.Detailed List of Tables from Chapter 3 (Vehicles):

Vehicles Table 1. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Configuration, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 2. Large Trucks in Crashes by Vehicle Configuration and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 3. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Cargo Body Type, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 4. Large Trucks in Crashes by Cargo Body Type and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 5. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 6. Large Trucks in Crashes by Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 7. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Truck Weight Rating, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 8. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Hazardous Materials (HM) Cargo, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 9. Large Trucks in Crashes by Hazardous Materials (HM) Cargo and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 10. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Hazardous Materials (HM) Cargo Type and HM Released, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 11. Large Trucks in Crashes by Hazardous Materials (HM) Cargo Type, HM Release, and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 12. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Initial Point of Impact, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 13. Large Trucks in Crashes by Initial Point of Impact and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 14. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Most Harmful Event for the Large Truck, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 15. Large Trucks in Crashes by Most Harmful Event for the Large Truck and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 16. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Jackknife Occurrence, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 17. Large Trucks in Crashes by Jackknife Occurrence and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 18. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes with Passenger Vehicles by Crash Type, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 19. Large Trucks in Crashes with Passenger Vehicles by Crash Type and Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 20. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes with Passenger Vehicles by Crash Type and Driver-Related Factors Recorded, 2018
	Vehicles Table 21. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Age, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 22. All Vehicles in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Age, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 23. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Issuing Authority and Body Type, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 24. Vehicles in Fatal Large Truck Crashes by Vehicle Type, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 25. Vehicles in Large Truck Crashes by Vehicle Type and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 26. Parked and Working Large Truck Fatal Crash Statistics, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 27. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Critical Precrash Event, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 28. Large Trucks in Crashes by Critical Precrash Event and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 29. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Manner of Collision, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 30. Large Trucks in Crashes by Manner of Collision and Crash Severity, 2018
	Vehicles Table 31. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle-Related Factors, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 32. Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Number of Vehicles Involved and Vehicle-Related Factors, 2018
	Vehicles Table 33. Passenger Vehicles in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle-Related Factors, 2016-2018
	Vehicles Table 34. Passenger Vehicles in Fatal Crashes by Number of Vehicles Involved and Vehicle-Related Factors, 2018People

This chapter contains information on drivers of large trucks and buses in fatal, injury, and property damage only crashes and on people killed or injured in large truck crashes. Some statistics for passenger vehicle drivers are also listed, to allow comparisons. It is important to note that the number of large truck or bus drivers in crashes is not exactly equal to the number of large trucks or buses in crashes, because some vehicles did not have drivers at the time of their crash. Below is a summary of some of the information in this section:

Of the 4,786 drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 2018, 328 (7 percent) were 25 years of age or younger, and 294 (6 percent) were 66 years of age or older. In comparison, 3 (1 percent) of the 230 drivers of buses in fatal crashes were 25 years of age or younger, and 33 (14 percent) were 66 years of age or older.
	In 2018, 14 percent (786) of large truck occupants in fatal crashes were not wearing a safety belt, of which 356 (45 percent) were killed in the crash. In contrast, only 379 (8 percent) of the 4,545 large truck occupants wearing safety belts in fatal crashes were killed. Ten percent of the 4,786 drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes (463) were not wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash.
	In 2018, 305 of the 4,786 large truck drivers in fatal crashes (6 percent) tested positive for at least one drug, although 60 percent of them were not tested. Conversely, 8,189 of the 51,490 drivers of all vehicles in fatal crashes (16 percent) tested positive for at least one drug, although 50 percent of them were not tested. A driver is more likely to be tested for drugs if there is information from the crash indicating that drugs may have been a factor.
	In 2018, at least one driver-related factor was recorded for 32 percent of the large truck drivers in fatal crashes, compared to 53 percent of the passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes. “Speeding of Any Kind” was the most frequent driver-related factor for drivers of both vehicle types; “Distraction/Inattention” was the second most common for large truck drivers, and “Impairment (Fatigue, Alcohol, Illness, etc.)” was the second most common for passenger vehicle drivers.
	There were 885 large truck occupant fatalities in 2018, a 1-percent increase from the 878 fatalities in 2017. In 2018, 84 percent of these occupant fatalities were drivers of large trucks, and 16 percent were passengers in large trucks.Detailed List of Tables from Chapter 4 (People):

People Table 1. Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Age, 2016-2018
	People Table 2. Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Age and Sex, 2018
	People Table 3. Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles by Age, 2016-2018
	People Table 4. Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles by Age and Sex, 2018
	People Table 5. Persons Injured in Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Age and Sex, 2018
	People Table 6. Persons Injured in Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles by Age and Sex, 2018
	People Table 7. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Age, 2016-2018
	People Table 8. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Age and Sex, 2018
	People Table 9. Drivers of Buses in Fatal Crashes by Age, 2016-2018
	People Table 10. Drivers of Buses in Fatal Crashes by Age and Sex, 2018
	People Table 11. Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Time of Day, 2016-2018
	People Table 12. Persons Killed and Injured in Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Time of Day, 2018
	People Table 13. Persons Killed in Crashes Involving Large Trucks, 2016-2018
	People Table 14. Persons Killed and Injured in Crashes Involving Large Trucks by Number of Vehicles Involved, 2018
	People Table 15. Large Truck Occupants Killed by Person Type, 2016-2018
	People Table 16. Large Truck Occupants Killed and Injured by Person Type, 2018
	People Table 17. Vehicles Involved, Persons Involved, and Persons Killed in Fatal Large Truck Crashes, 2018
	People Table 18. Vehicles Involved, Persons Involved, and Persons Killed in Fatal Bus Crashes, 2018
	People Table 19. Pedestrians and Bicyclists Killed in Large Truck, Bus, and All Crashes, 2016-2018
	People Table 20. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Restraint Use, 2016-2018
	People Table 21. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Restraint Use and Ejection from the Vehicle, 2018
	People Table 22. Large Truck Occupants in Fatal Crashes by Injury Severity and Restraint Use, 2018
	People Table 23. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Status, 2016-2018
	People Table 24. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by License Compliance, 2016-2018
	People Table 25. Large Truck Drivers in Fatal Crashes by License Compliance and Commercial Drivers License (CDL) Status, 2016-2018
	People Table 26. Large Truck Injury Crash Data by Injury Severity, 2018
	People Table 27. Drug Test Results for Large Truck Drivers in Fatal Crashes, 2016-2018
	People Table 28. Drug Test Results for All Drivers in Fatal Crashes, 2016-2018
	People Table 29. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Driver-Related Factors and Violations Recorded, 2016-2018
	People Table 30. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Number of Vehicles Involved, Driver-Related Factors, and Violations Recorded, 2018
	People Table 31. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Distraction-Related and Impairment-Related Factors, 2016-2018
	People Table 32. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Number of Vehicles Involved and Distraction-Related and Impairment-Related Factors, 2018
	People Table 33. Drivers of Passenger Vehicles in Fatal Crashes by Driver-Related Factors and Violations Recorded, 2016-2018
	People Table 34. Drivers of Passenger Vehicles in Fatal Crashes by Number of Vehicles Involved, Driver-Related Factors, and Violations Recorded, 2018
              
      
    
          Last updated: Friday, March 3, 2023 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

1-800-832-5660Subscribe to email updates
                    About
  

        
              About FMCSA
                Regulations
                Safety
                Analysis
                FMCSA PortalNews and Events
  

        
              FMCSA Newsroom
                Press Releases
                Emergency DeclarationsResources
  

        
              Career Center
                Resources for Carriers
                Resources for Consumers
                Resources for Drivers
                Forms
                Contact Us
                Trending TopicsPolicies, Rights, Legal
  

        
              About DOT
                Budget and Performance
                Civil Rights
                FOIA
                Information Quality
                No FEAR Act
                Office of Inspector General
                Privacy Policy
                Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
                USA.gov
                Web Policies and Notices
                Web Standards