On Monday, the Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) released a fresh report concerning the fatalities resulting from truck accidents. In this report, they emphasized the urgent need for Congress and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to take swift action in implementing speed limiters and Automatic Emergency Braking systems.

Comprising safety advocates and the families of individuals who have lost their lives in truck accidents, the TSC used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to determine that 2021 marked one of the most devastating years in recent history in terms of truck crash fatalities. The statistics reveal a grim tally of over 5,700 fatalities and 155,000 injuries. It’s important to note that the NHTSA data does not specify who was responsible for these fatal truck accidents.

“Since 2009, truck crash deaths have increased by 71%,” the TSC said.

The TSC also analyzed NHTSA data to identify the “top twelve most perilous” states when it comes to truck crash fatalities, considering the number of such fatalities per 100,000 residents. These states include New Mexico, Arkansas, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Alabama, Louisiana, Nebraska, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas.

TSC specifically asked authorities to “aggressively pursue” the following changes.

  • 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.

“The findings in this report are deeply concerning. New Mexico truckers and drivers should be able to travel our state without worry or fear,” said Senator LujAn. “That is why I remain committed to pushing the Department of Transportation to take action to prevent needless deaths and keep our roadways safe. This is a moment of national crisis as we continue to lose tens and thousands of lives to traffic fatalities each year, and it is time for our leaders to step up and commit to putting an end to these preventable tragedies.”

“People can and should expect their government to keep them safe from the carnage large trucks cause on our roads and highways. It is time for Congress and DOT to fulfill this expectation without reservation,” Zach Cahalan, TSC Executive Director said.

The Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) is an organization formed as a result of the collaboration between two entities: Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) and Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T.).