Trends

The tables in this chapter present crash statistics for large trucks and buses over time. Fatal crash statistics generally are available from 1975, the first year of FARS data, through 2008. In some cases, such as for roadway function class or alcohol involvement, data are available only from 1981 or 1982 through 2008. Nonfatal crash statistics are available from 1988, the first year of GES data, through 2008. The statistics shown in this chapter represent crashes, vehicles, drivers, fatalities, and injuries in crashes. Below is a summary of some of the trend information in this section:

• Over the past 20 years (from 1988 to 2008):
  • There has been a 47-percent increase in registered large trucks and a 65-percent increase in miles traveled by large trucks.
  • The number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has declined by 22 percent, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in fatal crashes has declined by 53 percent.
  • The number of large trucks involved in injury crashes has declined by 31 percent, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in injury crashes has declined by 58 percent.
  • The number of large trucks involved in property damage only crashes has increased by 4 percent, while the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in property damage only crashes has declined by 37 percent.
  • The number of buses involved in fatal crashes has declined by 14 percent, while the vehicle involvement rate for buses in fatal crashes has declined by 34 percent.
  • On average, intercity buses have accounted for 11 percent of all buses involved in fatal crashes, and school buses and transit buses have accounted for 39 percent and 36 percent, respectively, of all buses involved in fatal crashes.
• Over the past 10 years (from 1998 to 2008):
  • There has been a 16-percent increase in registered large trucks and a 16-percent increase in miles traveled by large trucks.
  • The number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has declined by 18 percent, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in fatal crashes has declined by 29 percent.
  • The number of large trucks involved in injury crashes has decreased by 26 percent, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in injury crashes has declined by 36 percent.
  • The number of large trucks involved in property damage only crashes has decreased by 3 percent, and the vehicle involvement rate for large trucks in property damage only crashes has declined by 16 percent.
  • The number of buses involved in fatal crashes has declined by 15 percent, while the vehicle involvement rate for buses in fatal crashes has declined by 16 percent.
  • On average, intercity buses have accounted for 12 percent of all buses involved in fatal crashes, and school buses and transit buses have accounted for 40 percent and 36 percent, respectively, of all buses involved in fatal crashes.
• Over the past year, large truck and bus fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by all motor vehicles declined by 10 percent, from 0.169 in 2007 to 0.152 in 2008—11 percent below the FMCSA performance target of 0.171 for 2008.