Carriers

How Do You Compare the Safety Data for the Top Trucking Companies?

Keep in mind when comparing truck accident statistics that a company’s overall safety record is about more than simply the total number of accidents. A company’s safety is more accurately determined by comparing the number of accidents to the number of vehicles operated by the company. Likewise, the percentage of the accidents that cause injury or death, as opposed to those that simply damage property, is also important to understanding the general safety rating of a company.

For example, if Swift Transportation reported 1,226 crashes over a two-year period, resulting in 31 deaths, and Averitt Express tallied 393 crashes and 16 deaths in the same time frame—which has the safer record? To determine the answer, it’s important to note that if Averitt had 5,451 drivers as compared to Swift’s 20,530 drivers, Swift’s number of accidents and deaths should be 3-4 times the amount reported by Averitt if their accidents were proportionally equal. However, if Swift only has double the fatalities of Averitt, that means accidents involving Averitt were far more likely to be fatal than those involving Swift.

All carriers are required to report crash information to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an agency under the Department of Transportation. The information they must regularly provide includes:

• A brief summary of crashes involving injuries for a given time period
• All basic information of the trucking company, from mailing address to the number of drivers
• Information specifics about the carrier type and cargo they may haul

The FMCSA routinely makes this information available to the public, and it is the source for the up-to-date interactive map on this page.

Remember: If you or a family member has been involved in a truck accident, these companies have teams of lawyers and investigators working to protect their interests, and never yours. We can assist in all 50 states and our team is available on call to answer any questions or fly to investigate a crash scene.

• Averitt Express
• Con-way Freight/XPO Logistics
• DHL Express
• FedEx Corporation
• J.B. Hunt
• Swift Transportation
• UPS (United Parcel Service)
• U.S. Xpress
• Werner Enterprises

This List Is Not All-Inclusive

While these select brands represent some of the nation’s largest trucking companies, they hardly account for all — or even most — of the trucks on the road. The deaths tallied in the above map are a fraction of the accidents reported each year from accidents involving commercial trucks and tractor trailers for all types and classes. The bulk of the injuries and loss of life were occupants of another vehicle, not the truck.

The companies listed here are not necessarily the most dangerous ones on the road. The number of miles traveled and accidents logged, and the severity of those accidents, varies wildly between companies.

The truck accident attorneys at Fried Goldberg believe these statistics offer a snapshot of how the government tallies the safety history of large trucking companies. They offer a glimpse into how many accidents involve companies you know by name, and how many motorists die or may lose their lives each year in those accidents.

If you have been involved in an accident and are seeking a lawyer who understands the complex matter of litigating a truck accident case, call us right away for a private and confidential consultation. We can be reached at 877-591-1801, or use our online contact form to start down the road towards justice today.