This analysis is based on 774 traffic accidents involving trucks in Norway in 1971. These accidents are compared with the statistics for all accidents in 1971, and the following conclusions are drawn on this basis. (1) Accidents where trucks are involved tend to be more serious than the average of all accidents. (2) Trucks are often involved in accidents with vehicles driving in the same direction. In this case, the size of the truck does not seem to have any significance except for accidents involving drivers of two-wheeled vehicles. (3) Head-on accidents are more common for trucks and the accident rate increases with the size of the truck. (4) Trucks have a higher accident rate at junctions, but the rate decreases for increasing truck size. (5) Trucks have a lower accident rate as regards accidents where pedestrians are involved. (6) Trucks are involved in fewer single-vehicle accidents, the accident rate increases with the length of the truck.
Abstract