	Fatalities From Large Truck Crashes Are Increasing, While Fatalities Per Mile Traveled Have Leveled Off

The annual number of fatalities from crashes involving large trucks increased by 20 percent from 4,462 in 1992 to 5,355 in 1997 (see fig. The recent increases in annual fatalities reflect, in part, increases in truck travel: the number of miles traveled increased by 25 percent from 1992 through 1997. If truck travel continues to increase at this rate, and nothing is done to reduce the fatality rate, the annual number of fatalities could increase to 5,800 in 1999 and to more than 6,000 in 2000 (see fig. 2). The Federal Highway Administration has established a goal for OMCHS for 1999 to reduce the number of fatalities from truck crashes to fewer than 5,126—the number of fatalities in 1996. This goal is substantially below our projected figure of 5,800 for 1999. 3). In fatal crashes between cars and large trucks in 1997, 98 percent of the fatalities were occupants of the car. OMCHS Needs Better Information on Factors That Contribute to Large Truck Crashes

While no reliable information exists on the causes of crashes involving large trucks nationwide, some information exists on factors that may contribute to these crashes. Without this information, OMCHS cannot effectively tailor its activities to address the factors that are most likely to contribute to truck crashes. Furthermore, it does not include a comprehensive list of factors nor does it rely on a thorough investigation of the crash scene to pinpoint factors that contributed most heavily to the crash. On the basis of data from FARS and several studies involving in-depth crash investigations, OMCHS estimates that truck driver fatigue contributes to 15 to 33 percent of crashes that are fatal to the truck occupant(s) only. Because of the lack of complete and precise information on factors that contribute to crashes, OMCHS recently began to design a data base that contains more detailed information on these factors. While these activities could have a positive effect on truck safety issues over the long term, their effectiveness is limited because (1) OMCHS’ initiative to target high-risk carriers for safety improvements depends on data that are not complete, accurate, or timely; (2) major components of several of its activities will not be completed within the next several years; and (3) OMCHS cannot tell whether its campaign to educate car drivers about the limitations of large trucks is working. In addition, representatives from trucking associations and safety groups agree that the effectiveness of OMCHS’ activities is hampered by its slowness in implementing measures to improve truck safety. OMCHS’ activities are just one of many factors that affect the level of truck safety. To identify high-risk carriers for these reviews, OMCHS uses a safety status measurement system known as SafeStat. For 1997, OMCHS estimated that about 38 percent of all reportable crashes and 30 percent of the fatal crashes involving large trucks were not reported to MCMIS. Data problems also exist at the state level. The Federal Highway Administration has not issued a proposed rule. This campaign is intended to reduce crashes between large trucks and cars by educating car drivers about how to safely share the road with large trucks and about trucks’ limitations, such as reduced maneuverability, longer stopping distances, and blind spots.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the safety of large commercial trucks on the nation's highways, focusing on: (1) recent increases in the number of crashes involving large trucks; (2) the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Motor Carrier and Highway Safety's (OMCHS) need to better understand the factors that contribute to such crashes; and (3) OMCHS' need for better data and quicker action on implementing improvements to truck safety to be more effective.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) of the nearly 42,000 people who died on the nation's highways in 1997 (the latest year for which data are available), about 5,400 died in crashes involving large trucks; (2) this represents a 20-percent increase from 1992; (3) at the same time, the annual number of miles travelled by large trucks increased by 25 percent; (4) if this trend of increasing truck travel continues, the number of fatalities could increase to 5,800 in 1999; (5) this figure is substantially more than the goal that the Federal Highway Administration established for 1999 of reducing fatalities from truck crashes to below the 1996 level of 5,126; (6) while trucks are involved in fewer crashes per mile travelled than are cars, crashes involving trucks are more likely to result in a fatality; (7) in 1997, 98 percent of the fatalities from crashes between trucks and cars were occupants of the car; (8) while no reliable nationwide information exists on the causes of crashes involving large trucks, one existing database does provide some indication of the extent to which factors such as driver behavior, vehicle mechanical condition, the roadway, and the environment contribute to these crashes; (9) however, the existing database includes data from only fatal truck crashes, and does not rely on a thorough investigation of the crash scene; (10) to better tailor its activities to address the factors that are most likely to contribute to truck crashes, OMCHS plans to design and fund the development of a database that contains more detailed information on these factors; (11) in addition, several states plan to collect their own data on contributing factors based on in-depth crash investigations; (12) while many actions outside OMCHS' authority influence truck safety, OMCHS had undertaken a number of activities to improve truck safety, such as identifying high-risk carriers for safety improvements and educating car drivers about how to share the road with large trucks; (13) however, the effectiveness of these activities is limited by: (a) data that are incomplete, inaccurate, or untimely; (b) the length of time it will take to complete several activities; and (c) the unknown effect of OMCHS' campaign to educate car drivers about the limitations of large trucks; (14) for example, OMCHS' effort to identify high-risk carriers for safety improvements depends in part on having complete data on the number of crashes experienced by carriers; and (15) however, OMCHS estimated that about 38 percent of all crashes and 30 percent of the fatal crashes involving large trucks were not reported to OMCHS in 1997.