The 5 Deadliest Truck Stats & Future-Proofing For Them

Few businesses incur daily risks as high as those of a commercial truck fleet.

With some of the largest blind spots on the road, most hazardous cargo, and drivers who spend more time behind the wheel than passenger-vehicle drivers, higher rates of fatal accidents make sense. 

Though it’s concerning, it’s no surprise that stats (courtesy of Policy Advice) as dismal as these exist: 

- A large truck was somehow involved in around 74% of fatal passenger car accidents

- Passenger-vehicle occupants are 68% of all truck accident fatalities

- In 4% of the large trucks involved in fatal collisions, hazardous materials were being transported

- There was a 52% rise in truck accident fatalities in a stretch of time from 2009 to 2017

- 97% of all deaths in crashes involving one or more large trucks were from a car, van, or SUV

The tragic reality is that while commercial vehicle fleets and their drivers face high risks on a regular basis, it’s the 4-wheel passenger cars on the road who have to deal with the dire consequences much of the time. 

Business and reputation aside, the potential cost to human life is high when it comes to commercial fleet vehicle accidents. 

Such loss can be prevented, or at least lessened, by fleet managers when given the right tools. 

Equipment like mobile DVRs and backup camera systems combined with telematics not only give an in-depth look at driver behaviors, but curb future issues like distraction, fatigued/drowsy driving, aggressive driving, speeding, and tailgating. 

The right system is not only an investment into a fleet’s future, but a life-saver for others.