Fatal Crashes Involving Drivers Recorded As Asleep or Fatigued 2013: Analysis Brief

https://doi.org/10.21949/15028672016PDFTech ReportFatigue (Physiological condition)SleepFatalitiesTruck driversBus driversCommercial driversUnited StatesUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationUnited States Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationIn 2013, 30,057 fatal crashes took place on our Nation\u2019s roadways, with 11.8 percent (3,541) involving at least 1 large truck. This analysis reviews fatal crashes in which the large truck driver was recorded as being fatigued at the time of the crash. Based on data contained in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration\u2019s (NHTSA\u2019s) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), in 2013, there were 59 fatal crashes involving a large truck where the large truck driver was coded as being \u201casleep or fatigued\u201d (see Figure 1).1 These crashes accounted for 1.7 percent of all large truck fatal crashes. As driver fatigue is recorded as a driver-related factor on police accident reports (PARs), it is often under-reported. NHTSA has acknowledged that there are inherent limitations to FARS data with respect to determining the presence of fatigued drivers.84