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Vermont has been ranked the second-safest state in the nation for truck drivers, according to a new study analyzing crash data, road conditions and pay across all 50 states.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Texas-based Barber Law Firm, examined data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine where truck drivers face the lowest risks on the road.
Vermont earned an overall safety score of 77.14 out of 100, placing it just behind Alaska, which ranked first.
Researchers found that Vermont has the lowest rate of trucks involved in fatal crashes in the country, at just 1.63 per 100,000 truck registrations. The state’s fatality rate tied that same low figure, also 1.63 per 100,000 registrations.
Road quality was another major factor in Vermont’s high ranking. Nearly 95% of the state’s major highways are rated in good or fair condition, one of the highest percentages nationwide. Vermont also reported relatively moderate traffic congestion, with about 1,966 vehicles per interstate mile.
Truck drivers in Vermont earn an average annual salary of $57,050, according to the study.
The rankings come amid growing national concerns about truck safety. More than 5,800 large trucks are involved in fatal crashes each year in the United States, a figure that represents a nearly 50% increase over the past decade, researchers noted.
Kris Barber, founder and principal attorney at The Barber Law Firm, said the findings highlight how dramatically safety conditions can vary from state to state.
“Truck drivers are the unsung heroes of our economy,” Barber said in a statement. “Road safety can vary wildly depending on which state they are driving through. Improving safety in the worst-performing states is not just about preventing accidents — it’s about honoring the people who keep America running.”
Other states ranking among the safest for truck drivers included Montana, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. New Hampshire ranked 44th on the list, while New York came in at 43rd.
The study evaluated states using five key metrics: average annual truck driver salary, trucks involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 registrations, fatalities per 100,000 registrations, traffic congestion per interstate mile, and the share of major highways in good or fair condition.
Researchers said higher pay, lower crash and fatality rates, lighter congestion and better road conditions all contributed to higher safety rankings.
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Categories: Transportation
Not surprised, having traveled the highways for business for decades across the East Coast, Vermont has so much less heavy truck traffic than most neighboring States. Less traffic, fewer incidents.
Makes sense to me. With less economic growth, there is less income or jobs for Vermonters. We are a failed state.
Agreed. Less truck traffic, better safety for everyone. Years ago, a specific stretch of Rt. 9 traveling west through Woodford into Bennington used to be treacherous. Despite numerous yellow flashing lights signaling truckers to slow down & “runaway” truck ramps if needed, horrific accidents involving trucks with numerous fatalities used to take place.
The state reworked that roadway along the rock cut several years back (don’t ask me how s I’m no engineer, but it was very impressive) and you would really have to try or be an illegal alien with a faux trucker’s license from California to crack up.
Wondering about the number of truck registrations used for this. Is it all trucks, including pickups or just larger trucks?
I guess there are some benefits to a lack of economic activity…
When my dad drove truck, he had to haul a load of stone up north on the state highway and would come back on the interstate. I know it was because of weight limits. It would seem that traveling both ways on the interstate would have been safer, but I don’t know.
Fifty years ago rt. 9 from Bennington to Brattleboro was a real pain and a truck driver had to be real good at his job as that still is a heavy traveled east west route.
I wonder where Pennsylvania is in this line up. They have a very high number of huge warehouses and a tremendous number of trucks going to and from. Much of their interstate highways are two lanes and hilly. I have witnessed some very dangerous drivers down there.
Rt. 9 and Rt. 11 are the two major east west highways here in southern Vt. Both of them have been greatly improved over the last 50 years. Trucks have also improved greatly in that time. The most significant safety improvement in that time has been the engine brake system. It is extremely important in our hilly state. It helps insure the service brakes are intact by not over overheating them and they are ready for any emergency stopping.
A far better analysis would use miles driven in state by commercial drivers, not the number of vehicle registrations. Last I knew that that information was required for taxes.