ATA analysis indicates long-term decline in U.S. truck-related fatalities

Analysts from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) recently used road accident and mileage data from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to demonstrate that there has been a short-term and long-term decline in the rate of truck-related fatalities in the U.S. trucking industry.

The truck-related fatality rate fell for the second year in a row, to 1.4 per 100 million miles traveled. In 2014, the U.S. had 3,903 truck-related fatalities, down 61 from the previous year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. Simultaneously, the number of miles traveled by large trucks rose to over 279 billion.

“The short-term decline is welcome news, but the important figure is the long-term trend,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “Short-term changes, whether they’re increases or declines, can be blips – and just like you shouldn’t track your 401(k) on a daily basis, they shouldn’t be the primary lens truck safety is viewed through. The long-term trend – in this case, a more than 40 percent improvement – is of paramount importance."

ATA Executive Vice President for National Advocacy Dave Osiecki also welcomed the data.

“Our industry has worked hard and invested in technology and training to improve highway safety, not just for our drivers, but for all motorists, and while there is more work to do, it is gratifying to see those efforts paying off in safer roads for all of us," Osiecki said.