April 22, 2002

According to U.S. Department of Transportation preliminary estimates involving large truck crashes, fatalities declined slightly from 5,211 in 2000 to 5,192 in 2001. Truck-related fatalities in 1999 were 5,380 and in 1998 the number was 5,395.

In response to these reports, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Joseph M. Clapp said, "Although fatalities involving large trucks appear to have decreased for the fourth year in a row, the fact that more than 5,000 of our sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, sweethearts, and friends are being lost every year is intolerable. This apparent improvement is heartening and encourages us to work closer and harder with our safety partners in federal, state and local government, the private sector, and all those interested in improving motor carrier safety."

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