The Large Truck Crash Causation Study
The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) looked into the causes of serious truck crashes, with 73 percent of the 963 crashes involving a large truck colliding with at least one other vehicle, resulting in 249 fatalities and 1,654 injuries.
Defining Causation
The term ‘causation’ refers to the factors that are most likely to increase the risk of large trucks being involved in serious crashes. Fatigue, drinking alcohol, and speeding are all major factors in motor vehicle crashes, but other elements, such as a decision to turn in traffic, can happen right before a crash.
Data Collection
Crash scene data for the 963 crashes in the LTCCS sample was collected at 24 locations in 17 states by a crash researcher and a state truck inspector who went to each crash site as soon as possible after the crash and conducted interviews with drivers, passengers, and witnesses.
National Crash Estimates
The results presented here are national estimates for the 141,000 large trucks involved in fatal and injury crashes during the 33-month study period. Because the estimates are based on a probability sample of crashes rather than a census of all crashes, they may differ from true values.
Coding Crash Causation Variables
The hundreds of data elements collected on each crash were coded into many variables. Critical Event: The action or event that put the vehicle or vehicles on a course that made the collision unavoidable. Associated Factors: The person, vehicle, and environmental conditions present at the time of the collision.
Critical Reasons
The percentage of large trucks coded with a critical reason varies by crash type, as shown in Table 1. Driver critical reasons are classified into four categories: non-performance, performance, decision, and recognition. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 1,000 large trucks.
Relative Risk
A truck with brake problems was 170 percent more likely to be coded with the critical reason for a crash than a truck that was not coded with it, according to a relative risk analysis of the data on associated factors using the critical event and critical reason coding.
Table 2
Excessive speed, inadequate surveillance, illegal maneuver, inattention, and following to the right are factors that can increase the risk of serious injury or death in large truck crashes. Of the 19 factors listed in Table 2, 15 are driver factors. Pre-crash cargo shift had the highest relative risk ratio (56.3), with only 4% of crashes reported.
Large Truck – Passenger Vehicle Crashes
There was a statistically significant link between the following 10 associated factors and coding of the critical reason for each type of crash for both large trucks and passenger vehicles in half of the LTCCS crashes, and there was a statistically significant link between the following 10 associated factors and coding of the critical reason for each type of crash for both large trucks and passenger vehicles.
Study and Data on FMCSA’s Web Site
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration publishes the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS), which includes links to a downloadable version of the public database. For specific questions, call the FMCSA Analysis Division at (202) 366-4039.
What is the number one cause of truck accidents?
The most common cause of truck accidents is driver fatigue, which is caused by truck owners who demand the delivery of goods to specific destinations in a short period of time. Most truck drivers normally drive over long distances for many hours with very little rest in between.
Is the truck driver always at fault?
These accidents are frequently, but not always, the fault of truck drivers; occasionally, this type of accident is the fault of the car driver; and other times, both the truck driver and the car driver acted carelessly and are both at fault.
Who is often at fault in the majority of fatal car truck collision?
According to their findings, the majority of car-truck collisions are caused by the car driver; in fact, u201ccar drivers were assigned factors in 81% of crashes versus 27% of truck drivers,u201d according to the report.
Are 18 wheelers always at fault?
Retain Legal Help for Your 18-Wheeler Accident Now that you know that the truck driver is not always at fault in an accident, there are many parties who could have caused the crash, and sometimes more than one party is to blame, contact a truck accident lawyer at Mahoney & Associates.
Why are trucking accidents a serious issue?
Aside from the weight factor, the driver of a large commercial truck is usually riding high up in the cab, while the driver of a car is much lower to the ground. Truck accidents are especially frightening because they are more likely to result in death or serious injury than a collision between two passenger cars.
How common are trucking accidents?
In fact, approximately 500,000 trucking accidents occur in the United States each year, with about 5,000 resulting in death.
Which lane has the most accidents?
However, while left-lane crashes are less common than right-lane crashes, those that do occur tend to be more serious, with left-lane crashes often resulting in more severe injuries and fatalities.
What state has the most car accidents 2020?
Texas (3,305) California (3,259) Florida (2,915) Texas (3,305) California (3,259) Florida (2,915) 5 states with the most car accidents:
- Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire are all states in the United States.
What are the 4 Critical crash categories?
The Four Critical Crashes and How to Avoid Them
- LOSS OF CONTROL CRASHES.
- REAR END CRASHES.
- RUN UNDER CRASHES. A lane change crash occurs when a driver moves into an adjacent lane and collides with another vehicle or object.
How do semi trucks make right turns?
Trucks must swing wide to make a 90-degree right turn, and must start a turn from the second lane to the left, rather than the right turn lane, because large commercial vehicles, particularly semis with a tractor and trailer, cannot turn in the same small radius as a personal car. Trucks must start a turn from the second lane to the left, rather than the right turn lane.
What distance does it take a fully loaded truck to come to a complete stop when traveling at 55 mph?
A heavy vehicle can stop in about 390 feet on dry pavement with good brakes in about 4 seconds at 55 MPH. total stopping distance: At 55 MPH, it will take about 6 seconds to stop a truck and the truck will have traveled about 512 feet.