Fatal Collisions

There are approximately 4,000 fatalities in crashes involving trucks and buses in the United States each year. Though estimates are wide-ranging, possibly 10 to 20 percent of these crashes might have involved fatigued drivers. The stresses associated with their particular jobs (irregular schedules, etc.) and the lifestyle that many truck and bus drivers lead, puts them at substantial risk for insufficient sleep and for developing short- and long-term health problems. Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue, Long-Term Health and Highway Safety assesses the state of knowledge about the relationship of such factors as hours of driving, hours on duty, and periods of rest to the fatigue experienced by truck and bus drivers while driving and the implications for the safe operation of their vehicles. This report evaluates the relationship of these factors to drivers' health over the longer term, and identifies improvements in data and research methods that can lead to better understanding in both areas.

Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for the period 1994 2003 were used to compare the characteristics of fatal rural and urban crashes. The study found that there are approximately 42 percent more fatal crashes in rural areas compared to urban areas; however there are fewer vehicle miles traveled in rural areas than urban areas. In addition, fatal rural crashes are more likely to involve multiple fatalities, rollovers, and more trucks. Fatal rural crashes more often occur on curved roadways and have greater vehicle damage. Head-on crashes are more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas. Finally, the length of time for emergency medical services to arrive at the scene is longer in rural areas than in urban areas.

This book examines a wide range of issues related to traffic accidents including prevention, safety, prediction, precipitation, mitigation, and related law enforcement issues.