DETROIT — Michigan highways are the safest in the nation for truck drivers, according to a new study conducted by transportation services company Simplex.
Using 2022 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the survey also found that Vermont is the second safest state for truck drivers, followed by Hawaii.
Wyoming was ranked as the least-safe state, followed by Idaho and Nebraska.
The study measured the percentage of large trucks involved in fatal crashes in 2022 compared to all fatal vehicle crashes per state to declare the state with the least percentage of truck incidents as the safest for truck drivers.
The study revealed that Michigan is the safest state for truck drivers on the road, as 4.72% of its fatal crashes involved large trucks. The state has recorded 1,567 vehicles involved in life-threatening crashes, and 74 large trucks were recorded by the NHTSA. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, road fatalities have fallen by 2.9% between 2018 and 2022, with serious injuries lowered by 10.6%.
Vermont is the second safest state for truck drivers, with 5% of fatal vehicle crashes involving a large truck. Although Vermont recorded 80 vehicles involved in life-threatening crashes, four large trucks were associated with these incidents in the past 12 months.
In third place is Hawaii, with a 5.26% of fatal vehicle crashes involving a truck in the last 12 months. The state recorded 114 vehicles associated with life-endangering crashes on Hawaii’s roads; six of which involving large trucks.
The fourth safest state road for truck drivers is Delaware, with 5.56% of fatal vehicle crashes involving a truck. The state saw 162 vehicles associated with life-threatening crashes, and nine were large trucks in the last 12 months.
In fifth place is Massachusetts showing a 5.74% truck-involved fatal crash rate. 488 drivers using this state’s roads have been involved in a life-endangering crash in the last 12 months, with 28 being truck drivers.
Wyoming proves to be the least-safest state for truck drivers, with 33 of the state’s 174 fatal vehicle crashes involving large trucks in the last 12 months. This equates to 18.97% of the state’s total crashes involving large trucks.
Following behind is Idaho with 16.33%, whereby 49 of 300 vehicles associated with a life-threatening crash involved trucks in the last 12 months.
Nebraska is the third least-safest state for truck drivers, with a 15.92% truck-involved fatal crash rate in 2022. This translates to 53 large trucks out of 333 vehicles.
Iowa is the fourth dangerous state for truck drivers, with 14.35% of fatal 2022 vehicle crashes involving a truck, translating to 67 large trucks out of 467 vehicles.
North Dakota has the fifth least-safe roads for truck drivers, with 13.24% of fatal vehicle crashes involving a large truck in the last 12 months, equating to 18 out of 136 vehicles.
Looking at the study, a spokesperson from Simplex commented: “This research offers an interesting insight into which states are nearing the goal of making roads safer for truck drivers. It also highlights the states that might need to consider implementing more truck-safe road systems for drivers.
“According to the NHTSA, there have been 4,842 large trucks involved in fatal crashes in the past year, so this study could alert truck drivers to prepare better when journeying in these particular states.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Can you distribute the entire report available so we can see where the rest of the states rank? Do you have any insight into infrastructure, policy, speed limits, etc. that will help to identify factors that contribute to the safe or unsafe results in this study?
it has a lot to do