U.S. roads were safer in 2008, with a drop in truck-involved fatalities by 12.3 percent, the largest year-to-year fall ever.
This marks the fifth straight year the fatality rate has improved, falling to 1.86 per 100 million miles from 2.12 per 100 million miles in 2007.

The data comes from the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) figures released by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and previously released National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) data on crashes.

"These latest figures underscore the trucking industry's tremendous commitment to safety," said Bill Graves, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations. "We continue to improve our safety performance while operating under the Hours-of-Service rules."

Since new hours of service regulations took effect in 2005, the truck-involved fatality rate has come down more than 20 percent and is at its lowest since the U.S. Department of Transportation began keeping those records in 1975. The fatality rate has declined more than 66 percent since 1975.

The truck-related injury rate also improved over 2007, going from 44.4 per 100 million miles to 39.6, an 11 percent reduction.