European Truck Accident Causation Study (ETAC) – Executive Summary

Only limited statistics are available regarding accidents involving trucks and even less is known about the cause of these accidents. To fill in this lack of knowledge, the European Commission (EC) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) have undertaken a unique scientific study, the European Truck Accident Causation (ETAC) study. Knowing that there are many factors which contribute to an accident and knowing that those factors are interlinked, the aim of the study is to identify the main causes of accidents involving trucks. The study shows that human error is the main cause of 85.2% of the studied case. In-depth analysis shows that when the human being caused the accident, non-adapted speed, failure to observe intersection rules and improper maneuvering when changing lanes are the main cause. Truck load and fatigue play only a minor role. One of the concluding recommendations is that improving driver training and upgrade driving school programs are key to improve road safety.