| Truck crashes hit historic low in 2009 |
|
|
 |
| ODOT News |
|
The ODOT Crash Analysis unit finished compiling truck crash statistics for 2009 and there’s some good news to report. Crashes involving commercial vehicles are down 28 percent over 2008. Truck-at-fault crashes are down 26 percent.
“A check of crash records as far back as 1980 shows this is the first time that truck crashes have fallen below 1,000 and truck-at-fault crashes have fallen below 500,” said ODOT Motor Carrier Transportation Division Administrator Gregg Dal Ponte.
There were a total of only 906 truck crashes, 354 fewer than in 2008. It was determined that the truck was at-fault in 497 of the crashes, 172 fewer than in 2008. The truck driver was at-fault in 467 of those incidents and a truck mechanical problem caused just 30 incidents.
The end-of-year 2009 report includes the news that there was a decline in both injuries and fatalities. Truck crashes resulted in 32 percent fewer injuries and 15 percent fewer deaths in 2009. A total of 343 people were injured last year, 159 fewer than in 2008. A total of 29 people were killed, 5 fewer than in 2008.
With the economy in decline last year, it’s no surprise that highway-use statistics show trucks traveled nine percent fewer miles in 2009 than they did in 2008. Based on mileage reported on weight-mile tax and flat fee payment reports, along with mileage reported for temporary passes, motor carriers traveled 1,587,811,925 miles in Oregon in 2009. But, again remarkably, the decline in truck miles traveled did not result in an increase in crash rates. Instead, it turns out that truck crashes occurred at a rate of 0.571 per million miles traveled, down from 0.719 per million in 2008.
Truck-at-fault crashes occurred at a rate of 0.313 per million miles traveled, down from 0.382 per million in 2008.
“It’s important to note that the crash rates quoted here would be lower if they were based on miles traveled in Oregon by all commercial motor vehicles, that is trucks over 10,000 pounds and buses carrying more than 15 passengers, including the driver,” Dal Ponte said. “Instead, these rates are based only on mileage figures for trucks and buses over 26,000 pounds because those vehicles are subject to the state’s weight-mile tax and required to file highway-use reports or obtain temporary passes. There are no comparable, verifiable mileage figures for commercial motor vehicles under 26,001 pounds so they're not included in rate calculations.”
|
|
|
|
