4% drop in fatalities in crashes involving large trucks

Aug 7, 2002 12:00 PM

The fatality rate in crashes involving large trucks dropped 4%, from 5,282 in 2000 to 5,082 last year, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Other significant results:

-- Motor vehicle crashes claimed the lives of fewer children ages 15 and under than any time in record-keeping history.

-- The fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled decreased slightly, going from 1.53 in 2000 to 1.51 in 2001.

-- Motorcycle fatalities increased for the fourth year in a row folowing years of steady improvement. With 3,181 killed in 2001, it was the highest number of fatalities since 1990.

-- The rate of alcohol-related deaths in 2001 remained unchanged at 0.63 million per 100 vehicle miles traveled (17,448 deaths).