Truck Crash Fatalities Drop in 2000
Truck-related fatalities dropped slightly in 2000, according to preliminary figures released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Transportation
Truck-related fatalities dropped slightly in 2000, according to preliminary figures released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The number of fatalities involving large truck crashes dropped from 5,362 in 1999 to 5,307 in 2000.
The number of truck crash fatalities went down, while the number of fatalities overall went up. The total number of people killed in highway crashes was up from 41,611 in 1999 to 41,800 in 2000. The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles was 1.6, up from the record low of 1.5 in 1999.
The number of people injured in 2000 in heavy truck crashes went up to 145,000 compared to 142,000 in 1999. The injuries of truck occupants went down, from 33,000 to 30,000, while the number of injuries to people in other vehicles involved in the crash, as well as people who were not in a vehicle, rose.
The 2000 statistics also reflect the risk of not wearing your seat belt: 61 percent of those killed in crashes were not belted in.
The numbers are early projections made by the DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, based on the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The final report is expected this summer.
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