A recent report from a national advocacy organization focused on truck safety has identified states with the highest occurrence of truck crashes, supported by data from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With this data, they have called upon the federal government to implement more measures to reduce the frequency of collisions and the associated injuries and fatalities.
The Truck Safety Coalition’s recent publication, officially named the Deadliest Truck Crash States report, ranks states based on the number of fatalities per 100,000 population, based on data collected in 2021. The report lists the coalition’s “Deadliest Dozen” states to spread awareness on areas that need updated or revised safety protocols. These states, along with the number of crashes per 100,000 population, include:
- New Mexico, 4.2
- Arkansas, 3.8
- Mississippi, 3.6
- Montana, 3.4
- Oklahoma, 3.4
- Wyoming, 3.3
- Alabama, 3.0
- Louisiana, 2.9
- Nebraska, 2.9
- Kentucky, 2.8
- South Carolina, 2.8
- Texas. 2.7
The national average was reported to be 1.7.
In response to the report, the coalition has urged the federal government to take immediate action to reduce the frequency of truck crashes.
“The Truck Safety Coalition calls on Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation to aggressively pursue commonsense solutions to reduce truck crash violence on our roads,” the statement from the organization said.
While most of the coalition’s recommendations have faced resistance from the trucking industry and drivers, they include expeditiously finalizing the automatic emergency braking rule for all types of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs); completing the speed limiter rule for CMVs; conducting side underride guard impact testing; ensuring full funding for the Department of Transportation’s lifesaving work; and requiring new motor carriers to pass a knowledge exam that demonstrates their understanding of and ability to implement Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to operate a motor carrier business safely, especially for those transporting hazardous materials.
Source: Truckers News
