American Trucking Assns. (ATA) president & CEO William Canary praised drivers and carriers for contributing to the fourth consecutive annual drop in the number of truck-related fatalities on the nation's highways.
According to new figures released yesterday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of fatalities involving large trucks dropped from 5,282 in 2000 to 5,082 in 2001.
"This good news is the result of the men and women behind the wheels of our tractor-trailers focusing on the safety of all vehicles every moment they're on the road," Canary said.
The total number of people killed in highway crashes in 2001 was 42,116, up from 41,945 in 2000. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said the loss of that many people was "unacceptable."
