CRASH Press Release: 4,903 AMERICANS KILLED IN TRUCK CRASHES IN 1995
08/05/96
Truck-Related Highway Deaths Dropped Slightly Last Year; American
Trucking Association Uses Stats to Deny Responsibility, Pin Blame on
U.S. Car Drivers for Truck Crash Carnage
SAN FRANCISCO, July 31 -- Truck safety advocates
Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) expressed guarded
optimism today over the final truck crash fatality figures for 1995 just
released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Big rigs represent only 3 percent of registered vehicles in this
country yet in 1995 were responsible for nearly 12 percent of highway
fatalities. Last year, 41,798 people were killed on the nation's
highways, including 4,903 people who died in truck-related crashes.
The NHTSA figures show that 241 fewer truck crash deaths occurred in
1995 compared to 1994 when 5,144 people died.
"It is disgraceful that the American Trucking Association (ATA)
would use these new statistics to absolve their role and responsibility
in the truck safety problem and its solution," said Jack Rendler,
Executive Director of CRASH. "The ATA is too quick to point out that
police reports of fatal truck crashes most often place the blame on
passenger car drivers," Rendler said, "yet, they refuse to acknowledge
the fact that these reports are seriously flawed because they are
heavily based upon recollections of those who survive truck crashes."
Studies show that in 96 percent of fatal truck crashes only the
truck driver survives.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) noted in its publication
"Motor Carrier Safety Analysis, Facts & Evaluation" (May 1996) that
"... none of the available data address crash contributing factors,
causation, or fault. Thus, the data can only be suggestive as to the
reasons for truck and bus crashes." FHWA went on to say in the
publication that fault is frequently based on the first impression of
the attending police officer at the crash scene as opposed to a complete
reconstruction or investigation of the crash.
. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also questions the
validity of the data the ATA sites as proof of truck crash liability.
IIHS senior vice-president Allan Williams recently stated that
"... police reports about fault should be taken with a grain of road
salt. Truckers usually survive and can tell their side of the story,
but dead car drivers can't. In non-fatal crashes, police usually assign
blame more evenly after interviewing both truck and car drivers."
"We are grateful that 241 fewer Americans lost their lives in truck
crashes last year, but we cannot forget that each of these 4,903 victims
leaves behind bereaved family and friends who share the pain of life
needlessly lost," Rendler said. "We also cannot forget that, on
average, 13 Americans lost their lives every day in truck crashes and
12 of these motorists were passenger car occupants."
In May of this year, CRASH sponsored the first "Sorrow to Strength"
conference of truck crash victims and survivors in Washington, D.C. The
gathering resulted in meetings with most Members of Congress and with
U.S. Transportation Secretary Federico Pena. Secretary Pena later
issued a statement of support commending the participants " ... for
turning personal tragedy into action that may save lives."
During the "Sorrow to Strength" conference, the families presented
recommendations for greater truck safety to Secretary Pena that called
for freezing truck sizes and weight standards, reducing truck driver
fatigue, improving driver training, increasing truck safety inspections,
setting a regulatory agenda that makes trucks more visible to motorists
on our highways, and enforcing the truck safety laws already on the
books.
"Last year's reduction in truck-related fatalities, though
statistically not significant, is good news," Rendler added,
"nevertheless the efforts of our 42,000 members will continue to focus
public scrutiny on serious truck safety issues.
"We need to continue this trend, Rendler added. "If we freeze truck
sizes and weights standards and seriously address truck driver fatigue,
we can make even greater progress and save many more lives on our
highways."
"4,903 fatal truck crash victims in 1995 is the equivalent of one
major airline crash every week," Rendler said. "We have zero tolerance
for airline crashes, but not on our roads. It's clear that our work is
far from complete."
CRASH members and supporters come from a broad spectrum of
backgrounds, including law enforcement, medicine, the clergy, public
health, truck crash victims and survivors and truck drivers and their
families.
CRASH is a nationwide, grassroots safety organization dedicated to
reducing the devastation, deaths and injuries caused by truck-related
crashes. To join these efforts to make the highways safe for all who
use them, the public is invited to call 1-800-CRASH-12 or visit the
CRASH web site at www.trucksafety.org