Trends Table 16. Combination Truck Fatal Crash Statistics, 1975-2020
| Year | Fatal Crashes Involving Combination Trucks | Combination Trucks Involved in Fatal Crashes | Combination Truck Occupant Fatalities | Total Fatalities in Combination Truck Crashes | Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Combination Trucks | Fatal Crashes Involving Combination Trucks (Rate per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Combination Trucks) | Combination Trucks Involved in Fatal Crashes (Rate per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Combination Trucks) | Fatalities in Combination Truck Crashes (Rate per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled by Combination Trucks) | Combination Trucks Registered |
| 1975 | 2,825 | 3,006 | 696 | 3,452 | 46,724 | 6.05 | 6.43 | 7.39 | 1,130,747 |
| 1976 | 3,260 | 3,439 | 838 | 3,948 | 49,680 | 6.56 | 6.92 | 7.95 | 1,224,917 |
| 1977 | 3,613 | 3,830 | 932 | 4,305 | 55,682 | 6.49 | 6.88 | 7.73 | 1,239,613 |
| 1978 | 4,066 | 4,305 | 1,001 | 4,825 | 62,992 | 6.45 | 6.83 | 7.66 | 1,341,707 |
| 1979 | 4,307 | 4,574 | 1,041 | 5,148 | 66,992 | 6.43 | 6.83 | 7.68 | 1,386,374 |
| 1980 | 3,731 | 3,957 | 904 | 4,473 | 68,678 | 5.43 | 5.76 | 6.51 | 1,416,869 |
| 1981 | 3,863 | 4,070 | 850 | 4,594 | 69,134 | 5.59 | 5.89 | 6.65 | 1,261,202 |
| 1982 | 3,519 | 3,708 | 744 | 4,226 | 70,765 | 4.97 | 5.24 | 5.97 | 1,265,321 |
| 1983 | 3,645 | 3,839 | 756 | 4,365 | 73,586 | 4.95 | 5.22 | 5.93 | 1,304,041 |
| 1984 | 3,907 | 4,122 | 872 | 4,605 | 77,377 | 5.05 | 5.33 | 5.95 | 1,340,144 |
| 1985 | 3,892 | 4,124 | 772 | 4,655 | 78,063 | 4.99 | 5.28 | 5.96 | 1,403,266 |
| 1986 | 3,825 | 4,060 | 718 | 4,493 | 81,038 | 4.72 | 5.01 | 5.54 | 1,407,783 |
| 1987 | 3,746 | 3,971 | 675 | 4,403 | 85,495 | 4.38 | 4.64 | 5.15 | 1,529,824 |
| 1988 | 3,939 | 4,212 | 731 | 4,609 | 88,551 | 4.45 | 4.76 | 5.20 | 1,667,327 |
| 1989 | 3,680 | 3,909 | 671 | 4,372 | 91,879 | 4.01 | 4.25 | 4.76 | 1,707,182 |
| 1990 | 3,583 | 3,780 | 520 | 4,217 | 94,341 | 3.80 | 4.01 | 4.47 | 1,708,895 |
| 1991 | 3,071 | 3,266 | 493 | 3,635 | 96,645 | 3.18 | 3.38 | 3.76 | 1,691,331 |
| 1992 | 2,881 | 3,033 | 429 | 3,376 | 99,510 | 2.90 | 3.05 | 3.39 | 1,675,363 |
| 1993 | 3,092 | 3,261 | 446 | 3,699 | 103,116 | 3.00 | 3.16 | 3.59 | 1,680,305 |
| 1994 | 3,248 | 3,432 | 477 | 3,860 | 108,932 | 2.98 | 3.15 | 3.54 | 1,681,500 |
| 1995 | 3,129 | 3,319 | 472 | 3,723 | 115,451 | 2.71 | 2.87 | 3.22 | 1,695,751 |
| 1996 | 3,325 | 3,570 | 448 | 3,921 | 118,899 | 2.80 | 3.00 | 3.30 | 1,746,586 |
| 1997 | 3,491 | 3,711 | 512 | 4,122 | 124,584 | 2.80 | 2.98 | 3.31 | 1,789,968 |
| 1998 | 3,465 | 3,747 | 531 | 4,143 | 128,359 | 2.70 | 2.92 | 3.23 | 1,997,345 |
| 1999 | 3,442 | 3,713 | 574 | 4,121 | 132,384 | 2.60 | 2.80 | 3.11 | 2,028,562 |
| 2000 | 3,466 | 3,771 | 541 | 4,052 | 135,020 | 2.57 | 2.79 | 3.00 | 2,096,619 |
| 2001 | 3,298 | 3,553 | 503 | 3,838 | 136,534 | 2.42 | 2.60 | 2.81 | 2,154,174 |
| 2002 | 3,207 | 3,487 | 508 | 3,830 | 138,737 | 2.31 | 2.51 | 2.76 | 2,276,661 |
| 2003 | 3,239 | 3,523 | 524 | 3,799 | 140,128 | 2.31 | 2.51 | 2.71 | 1,908,365 |
| 2004 | 3,332 | 3,642 | 536 | 3,949 | 142,370 | 2.34 | 2.56 | 2.77 | 2,010,335 |
| 2005 | 3,387 | 3,664 | 561 | 3,932 | 144,028 | 2.35 | 2.54 | 2.73 | 2,086,759 |
| 2006 | 3,206 | 3,508 | 566 | 3,776 | 142,169 | 2.26 | 2.47 | 2.66 | 2,169,670 |
| 2007 | 3,125 | 3,439 | 551 | 3,633 | 184,199 | 1.70 | 1.87 | 1.97 | 2,635,347 |
| 2008 | 2,768 | 3,004 | 467 | 3,158 | 183,826 | 1.51 | 1.63 | 1.72 | 2,585,229 |
| 2009 | 2,166 | 2,328 | 332 | 2,458 | 168,100 | 1.29 | 1.38 | 1.46 | 2,617,118 |
| 2010 | 2,422 | 2,584 | 375 | 2,772 | 175,789 | 1.38 | 1.47 | 1.58 | 2,552,865 |
| 2011 | 2,388 | 2,565 | 432 | 2,730 | 163,791 | 1.46 | 1.57 | 1.67 | 2,451,638 |
| 2012 | 2,490 | 2,743 | 468 | 2,843 | 163,602 | 1.52 | 1.68 | 1.74 | 2,469,094 |
| 2013 | 2,561 | 2,813 | 450 | 2,896 | 168,436 | 1.52 | 1.67 | 1.72 | 2,471,349 |
| 2014 | 2,477 | 2,720 | 450 | 2,842 | 169,830 | 1.46 | 1.60 | 1.67 | 2,577,197 |
| 2015 | 2,676 | 3,033 | 445 | 3,067 | 170,246 | 1.57 | 1.78 | 1.80 | 2,746,882 |
| 2016† | 2,823 | 3,067 | 504 | 3,202 | 174,557 | 1.62 | 1.76 | 1.83 | 2,752,043 |
| 2017† | 2,931 | 3,221 | 519 | 3,312 | 181,490 | 1.61 | 1.77 | 1.82 | 2,892,218 |
| 2018† | 2,923 | 3,215 | 507 | 3,316 | 184,165 | 1.59 | 1.75 | 1.80 | 2,906,011 |
| 2019† | 2,941 | 3,310 | 509 | 3,329 | 175,305 | 1.68 | 1.89 | 1.90 | 2,925,210 |
| 2020† | 2,890 | 3,127 | 452 | 3,257 | 177,261 | 1.63 | 1.76 | 1.84 | 2,979,277 |
| †Beginning with data for 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) implemented changes to revise vehicle classification based on gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which reclassified 329 light pickup trucks as large trucks. Due to this methodology change, comparisons of the 2016 (and later) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) large truck data with prior years should be performed with caution. | |||||||||
| Notes: A combination truck is defined as a truck tractor pulling any number of trailers (including a “bobtail” truck tractor not pulling any trailers) or a straight truck pulling at least one trailer. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) implemented an enhanced methodology for estimating registered vehicles and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by vehicle type beginning with data from 2007. As a result, involvement rates may differ, and in some cases significantly, from earlier years. | |||||||||
| Sources: VMT and Registered Vehicles: FHWA, Highway Statistics 2020. Fatal Crashes, Vehicles Involved, and Fatalities: NHTSA, FARS. | |||||||||
Last updated: Tuesday, February 7, 2023