Semi Truck Deaths Keep Climbing

Photo: Christian Adams (Getty Images)

We talk a lot about the ever-increasing size of passenger trucks, and their often fatal impact on pretty much everything that is not a truck. But pickups, no matter how big or how heavy, do not compare to the true apex predators of American roadways: Tractor trailers.

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New data from the NHTSA, via the Truck Safety Coalition, shows massive upswings in fatalities caused by 18-wheelers over the past few years. The data dates back to 2021, but it’s still damning — showing a 71 percent rise in large truck fatalities from 2009 to 2021. From the Truck Safety Coalition:

The report provides valuable insights into one of the worst years for truck crash deaths in modern history. NHTSA reports that large truck fatalities surged, passing 5,700 deaths. In addition, there were over 155,000 injuries. Since 2009, truck crash deaths have increased by 71 %.

The Coalition argues that this data shows a deep need for reform, and lays out paths that lawmakers should take to try and prevent these ever-increasing deaths, including speed limiters, automatic braking, and more:

The Truck Safety Coalition calls on Congress and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to aggressively pursue commonsense solutions to reduce truck crash violence on our roads:

DOT/NHTSA must expeditiously finalize its Automatic Emergency Braking rule for all classes of CMVs. DOT/FMCSA must expeditiously complete its speed limiter rule for CMVs. Congress must require DOT/NHTSA to conduct side underride guard impact testing, not doing so fails to comply with Congressional intent in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Congress must fully fund DOT to conduct its lifesaving work without unsafe riders that prohibit FMCSA from implementing specific safety provisions for teen truckers in the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Program DOT/FMCSA must expeditiously require new motor carriers to pass a knowledge exam proving that they know and can implement Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) required to safely operate a motor carrier business, including those hauling hazardous materials. Currently, DOT allows anyone to operate in interstate commerce who files appropriate paperwork without requiring any evidence they know the rules to keep truck drivers and all roadway users safe.

Some of these rules are already in place, but others will likely be a subject of debate for months, years, or decades to come. We love our quick and effective infrastructure laws here in the States.