The Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP) pursues a nuanced understanding of how and why crashes involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) occur so that policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and regulators nationwide can implement effective crash prevention strategies and programs.

Since the original Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) was conducted in 2001-2003, there have been many changes in technology, vehicle safety, driver behavior, and roadway design. Roadway fatalities have also risen recently, with fatal crashes involving CMVs increasing 17 percent from 2020 to 2021. The Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP) seeks to prevent future crashes by providing an up-to-date analysis of factors influencing crashes involving CMVs.

The Heavy-Duty Truck Study will gather data on 2,000 crashes involving Class 7/8 trucks (gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more) from about 30 States over two years. Analysis of this data is expected to begin in 2028, and the final Heavy-Duty Truck Study report will be published in 2029.

The Heavy-Duty Truck Study team developed research questions that identify how driver, vehicle, carrier, and environmental factors are contributing to crashes involving large trucks. The study investigates contributing factors such as:

• Driver Factors: Driver qualifications, working environment, fatigue, history, health, and behaviors, among others 
• Vehicle Factors: Maintenance, defects, inspections, vehicle design, and load characteristics, among others
• Motor Carrier Factors: Operation type, carrier characteristics, and carrier performance, among others
• Environmental and External Factors: Roadway design, infrastructure, weather, road condition, and work zones, among others
• Role of Light Vehicles and Vulnerable Road Users: Ways passenger vehicles or pedestrians/pedalcyclists may affect crash risk or severity 

• To plan and execute the Heavy-Duty Truck Study, FMCSA has an Information Collection Request (ICR) to help the Agency understand what necessary study data are already being collected by the States. 
• The first information collection component will focus on identifying and documenting States’ and local jurisdictions’ ability to participate in the study, agreements that the States or jurisdictions will require to participate in the study, existing crash data collection processes, systems, training, and quality control processes, and CMV enforcement funding mechanisms and sources. Collected information will inform various elements of the study plan, including the sample design, data collection plans, participation agreements, resourcing plans, and development of the study database.