How Many Truck Drivers Die A Year

Hundreds of occupants of large trucks die in U.S. traffic crashes each year, but the exact number of truck drivers who die annually changes from year to year and depends on how “truck driver” is defined. Federal traffic statistics may report fatalities involving occupants of large trucks, while workplace safety statistics may classify deaths by occupation. Those are different measurements and should not be treated as interchangeable. Large-truck crashes can involve tractor-trailers, single-unit commercial trucks and other heavy vehicles, and not every person killed in a truck is necessarily the driver. Occupational datasets can also include truck drivers killed in incidents other than roadway collisions. For current research, the most appropriate sources are federal agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Bureau of Labor Statistics. When comparing figures, check the year, whether the number refers to drivers or all truck occupants, and whether it measures traffic fatalities or occupational deaths. Those distinctions can substantially change the reported total.