U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports crashes involving large trucks dropped from 5,282 in 2000 to 5,082 in 2001.

However, the total number of people killed in highway crashes in 2001 was 42,116, compared to 41,945 in 2000. Despite that statistic, motor vehicle crashes in 2001 claimed the lives of fewer children ages 15 and under than any time in record-keeping history.