The safety profile of work-related trucks

Abstract

This report is an investigation into the safety profile of work-related trucks which includes dump, garbage/refuse, tow/wrecker, cement mixer, utility, and many other single unit vocational trucks. Statistics are presented comparing work trucks to tractor semitrailers, straight truck vans, and passenger cars. Five years (1997-2000, 2002) of fatal crash counts are taken from the Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents database. Fatal crash counts in 2002 for passenger cars are derived from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System data file. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) data for trucks are taken from the 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey, while VMT data for passenger cars are derived from reports published by the Federal Highway Administration. Crash involvement rates per 100 million VMT are calculated and compared among different vehicle types. In addition, fatal crash statistics are presented comparing work trucks, straight truck vans, tractor semitrailers, and passenger cars with respect to road and environment characteristics, vehicle characteristics, and driver characteristics. Based on VIUS VMT, the average annual crash involvement rate for all trucks (class 3 and above) was 3.54. Dump trucks had the highest crash involvement rate (5.96). The rate for garbage/refuse trucks was 5.12, while the rate for tractor semitrailers was 3.63. Straight truck vans had one of the lowest rates (2.09). While fatal crash involvement rates for some of the work trucks appear to be high, aggregated rates do not take into account the kinds of roads that work trucks typically traveled on. Dump trucks accumulated 80% of travel on local trips (50 miles or less), while semitrailers accumulated only 15.8% of travel on local trips. After stratification by trip type, it is shown that rates for many work trucks are comparable to, and in some cases lower than, the rate for semitrailers. On trips greater than 50 miles the rates for dump trucks and garbage/refuse trucks were 2.90 and 1.90, respectively, while the rate for semitrailers was 3.29