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 2009. In some cases, such as for roadway function class or alcohol involvement, data are available only from 1981 or 1982 through 2009. Nonfatal crash statistics are available from 1989 through 2009. 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 2009, 3,215 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes, a 21-percent decrease from 2008 and the largest annual decline since records have been kept. Combined with the 12-percent decline from 2007 to 2008 (the second-largest decline), the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes declined by 31 percent from 2007 to 2009. The number of passenger vehicles involved in fatal crashes declined by 19 percent over the same period.

• Over the past 10 years (1999 to 2009) the number of large trucks involved in:
• Fatal crashes decreased from 4,920 to 3,215, a drop of 35 percent
• Injury crashes decreased from 101,000 to 53,000, a drop of 48 percent
• Property damage only crashes decreased from 369,000 to 239,000, a drop of 35 percent.
• Over the past 2 years (2007 to 2009) the number of large trucks involved in:
• Fatal crashes declined by 31 percent, from 4,633 to 3,215, and the vehicle involvement rate (vehicles involved in fatal crashes per 100 million miles traveled by large trucks) for large trucks in fatal crashes declined by 27 percent
• Injury crashes decreased by 30 percent, from 76,000 to 53,000, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in injury crashes declined by 26 percent
• Property damage only crashes decreased by 28 percent, from 333,000 to 239,000, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in property damage only crashes declined by 24 percent.
• From 1999 to 2009, the number of buses involved in fatal crashes declined from 319 to 221, a drop of 31 percent. From 2007 to 2009, the number of buses involved in fatal crashes declined from 281 to 221, a drop of 21 percent, and the vehicle involvement rate for buses in fatal crashes declined by 20 percent.
• From 1999 to 2009, on average, intercity buses accounted for 12 percent of all buses involved in fatal crashes, and school buses and transit buses accounted for 40 percent and 35 percent, respectively, of all buses involved in fatal crashes.
• Alcohol was detected in the blood of 2.9 percent of large truck drivers in fatal crashes in 2009, compared with 27.1 percent of passenger vehicle drivers. For 1.7 percent of large truck drivers in fatal crashes in 2009, blood alcohol concentration was 0.08 grams per deciliter or more, compared with 23.2 percent of passenger vehicle drivers.
• Large truck and bus fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by all motor vehicles declined by 20 percent, from 0.153 in 2008 to 0.123 in 2009.

Data Revisions