People Table 29. Drivers of Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Driver-Related Factors and Violations Recorded, 2018-2020
| Driver-Related Factors | 2018: Number | 2018: Percent | 2019: Number | 2019: Percent | 2020: Number | 2020: Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding of Any Kind | 333 | 6.9% | 376 | 7.6% | 351 | 7.3% |
| Impairment (Fatigue, Alcohol, Illness, etc.)a | 220 | 4.6% | 234 | 4.7% | 250 | 5.2% |
| Distraction/inattention (Cell Phone, Lost in Thought, Eating, etc.)a | 253 | 5.2% | 255 | 5.1% | 248 | 5.2% |
| Careless Driving, Inattentive Operation, Improper Driving, Driving Without Due Care | 199 | 4.1% | 224 | 4.5% | 231 | 4.8% |
| Failure to Yield Right of Way | 226 | 4.7% | 232 | 4.7% | 203 | 4.2% |
| Vision Obscured (by Weather, Roadway Design, Vehicles, etc.) | 149 | 3.1% | 167 | 3.4% | 150 | 3.1% |
| Improper Lane Usage | 166 | 3.4% | 146 | 2.9% | 135 | 2.8% |
| Failure to Obey Actual Traffic Signs, Traffic Control Devices or Traffic Officers, Failure to Observe Safety Zone Traffic Laws | 110 | 2.3% | 117 | 2.4% | 105 | 2.2% |
| Following Improperly | 107 | 2.2% | 108 | 2.2% | 89 | 1.9% |
| Overcorrecting | 65 | 1.3% | 62 | 1.2% | 81 | 1.7% |
| Operating the Vehicle in an Erratic, Reckless, Careless or Negligent Manner | 56 | 1.2% | 51 | 1.0% | 55 | 1.2% |
| Driver has a Driving Record or Driver’s License From More Than One State | 59 | 1.2% | 58 | 1.2% | 55 | 1.2% |
| Non-Traffic Violation Charged (Manslaughter, Homicide or Other Assault Offense Committed Without Malice) | 37 | 0.8% | 42 | 0.8% | 54 | 1.1% |
| Ice, Water, Snow, Slush, Sand, Dirt, Oil, Wet Leaves on Road | 46 | 1.0% | 77 | 1.5% | 46 | 1.0% |
| Improper or Erratic Lane Changing | 35 | 0.7% | 27 | 0.5% | 32 | 0.7% |
| Stopping in Roadway (Vehicle Not Abandoned) | 35 | 0.7% | 42 | 0.8% | 32 | 0.7% |
| Making Improper Turn | 42 | 0.9% | 44 | 0.9% | 26 | 0.5% |
| Emergency Medical Service Personnel | 0 | 0.0% | 4 | 0.1% | 23 | 0.5% |
| Starting or Backing Improperly | 14 | 0.3% | 21 | 0.4% | 23 | 0.5% |
| Vehicle in Road | 20 | 0.4% | 18 | 0.4% | 21 | 0.4% |
| Driving on Wrong Side of Two-way Trafficway (Intentionally or Unintentionally) | 41 | 0.8% | 39 | 0.8% | 21 | 0.4% |
| Operating Without Required Equipment | 19 | 0.4% | 21 | 0.4% | 17 | 0.4% |
| Tire Blowout or Flat | 21 | 0.4% | 18 | 0.4% | 14 | 0.3% |
| Looked but Did Not See | 23 | 0.5% | 16 | 0.3% | 12 | 0.3% |
| Overloading or Improper Loading of Vehicle with Passengers or Cargo | 10 | 0.2% | 12 | 0.2% | 11 | 0.2% |
| Fire Personnelb | — | — | 9 | 0.2% | 9 | 0.2% |
| Operator Inexperience | 8 | 0.2% | 6 | 0.1% | 8 | 0.2% |
| Road Rage/Aggressive Driving | 5 | 0.1% | 9 | 0.2% | 8 | 0.2% |
| Driver Has Not Complied With Physical or Other Imposed Restrictions | 11 | 0.2% | 9 | 0.2% | 8 | 0.2% |
| Passing With Insufficient Distance or Inadequate Visibility or Failing to Yield to Overtaking Vehicle | 13 | 0.3% | 14 | 0.3% | 8 | 0.2% |
| Improper Passing Location | 1 | * | 1 | * | 7 | 0.1% |
| Tow Operatorc | — | — | 7 | 0.1% | 7 | 0.1% |
| Debris or Objects in Road | 7 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% | 6 | 0.1% |
| Failure to Observe Warnings or Instructions on Vehicle Displaying Them | 6 | 0.1% | 10 | 0.2% | 6 | 0.1% |
| Pedestrian, Pedalcyclist, or Other Non-Motorist in Road | 7 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.1% |
| At Least One Driver-Related Factor Recorded | 1,572 | 32.5% | 1,639 | 32.9% | 1,509 | 31.6% |
| No Driver-Related Factors Recorded | 3,260 | 67.5% | 3,338 | 67.1% | 3,268 | 68.4% |
| Totald | 4,832 | 100.0% | 4,977 | 100.0% | 4,777 | 100.0% |
| At Least One Moving Violation Recorded | 441 | 9.1% | 472 | 9.5% | 366 | 7.7% |
| No Moving Violations Recorded | 4,391 | 90.9% | 4,505 | 90.5% | 4,411 | 92.3% |
| Totald | 4,832 | 100.0% | 4,977 | 100.0% | 4,777 | 100.0% |
| — Not applicable. | ||||||
| *Less than 0.05 percent. | ||||||
| aFor more detail on driver distractions and impairments, see People Tables 31 and 32. | ||||||
| b"Fire Personnel" was listed as a driver-related factor for the first time in 2019. | ||||||
| c"Tow Operator" was listed as a driver-related factor for the first time in 2019. | ||||||
| dThe sums of numbers and percentages may be greater than the totals shown, because more than one factor may be present for a single driver. | ||||||
| Note: A large truck is defined as a truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 10,000 pounds. | ||||||
| Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). | ||||||
Last updated: Monday, March 6, 2023