The numbers of fatalities and injuries caused by truck-related accidents in the U.S. decreased in 2013, according to a review of government data by the American Trucking Associations (ATA).
Today, officials of the ATA said there were 1.44 large truck-related fatal crashes per 100 million miles driven in 2013, the most recent year for which data is available. That is down 1.6 percent from 2012’s figure of 1.465 per 100 million miles.
According to the ATA, with 2013’s decline, the fatality rate has decreased 39.2 percent over the past decade. The injury rate declined 34.2 percent in that same time.
“The trucking industry’s efforts to improve safety on our highways are showing results,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “While there is still much work to do, we should feel good that because of the efforts of ATA and others in the industry, our highways are safer, even as our trucks deliver more goods all across our nation.”
In 2013, trucks traveled a total of 275,018,000,000 miles.