Truck-related incidents are responsible for a significant share of road traffic accidents. These larger vehicles, particularly semi-trucks and commercial trucks, can cause catastrophic damage due to their sheer size and weight.
Despite the efforts to enhance road safety, truck accidents continue to happen. This article explores the key statistics and insights about truck accidents in the United States in 2024, providing a comprehensive perspective of this ongoing issue.
Key Insights
- An estimated 388,000 truck accidents are recorded each year in the US, making up about 6.5% of all reported vehicular collisions.
- In 2023, about 70% of all passenger vehicle fatalities involved a large truck.
- Large trucks account for approximately 11% of all motor vehicle crash deaths, with about 75% of these fatal truck accidents involving a collision with another vehicle.
- Tire defects and driver fatigue are the two most significant causes of truck accidents.
- In fatal truck accidents, 82% of victims were not the truck’s occupants.
- Thursdays see the highest frequency of truck accidents, with 18% of all truck-related accidents occurring on this day in 2017.
- In 2023, an average of 890 truckers died, translating to nearly three deaths daily.
- Males, making up 97% of truck driver fatalities in 2018, are especially at risk due to longer hours and a higher presence in the industry.
- From 2009 to 2017, the number of deaths in truck wrecks increased by 52%.
- The states with the highest number of fatal truck accidents are Texas, California, and Florida.
- The average cost of a commercial truck accident with an injury is $148,279, while the average fatal trucking accident costs a staggering $7.2 million.
- About 48% of truck occupants involved in rollover crashes die, a rate significantly higher than the 22% observed for car occupants in similar incidents.
Breaking Down the Numbers
1. How many Truck Accidents are there per year?
Each year in the United States, an estimated 388,000 truck accidents are recorded. This makes up about 6.5% of all reported vehicular collisions.
Large trucks accounted for 5 percent of all registered vehicles and 10 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2020. This means they have a slightly outsized proportion of being involved in accidents for their number.
2. How do Trucks Contribute to Road Accidents?
Trucks are involved in 11% of all motor vehicle crash deaths. Although this figure may seem small, it still represented 4,102 lives lost in 2017. While the remaining 89% of motor vehicle fatalities didn’t involve large trucks, trucks do have an outsized impact on fatal accidents compared to other vehicles.
74.9% of truck accidents that involve a collision with another vehicle are fatal. In addition, 4% of fatal truck accidents involve collisions with fixed objects, and 7.3% are accidents with pedestrians.
3. What are the Main Causes of Truck Accidents?
Tire defects and driver fatigue are the two primary culprits of truck accidents. Nearly one-third of all truck-related crashes are due to tire defects. Moreover, driver fatigue results in an estimated 100,000 crashes annually across all vehicles.
In 2019, driver-related factors were present in 33% of fatal crashes involving large commercial truck drivers, as opposed to 53% involving passenger vehicle drivers. “Speeding of Any Kind” was the most common driver-related factor for both categories. For truck drivers, “Distraction/Inattention” was second.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Substance abuse played a minimal role in causing truck crashes, with only 0.4% of incidents attributed to illegal substance use and 0.3% to alcohol consumption.
4. Does Aggressive Driving Play a Role in Truck Accidents?
Aggressive driving plays a significant role in 5% of truck accidents. This behavior, which encompasses actions such as swerving, hard braking, speeding, tailgating, exhibiting anger, blocking lanes, or honking without cause, poses a risk to people and property.
Notably, 80% of drivers report experiencing road rage, which often leads to such aggressive driving behaviors.
5. What are the Injury/Fatality Rates for Truck Accidents?
People in passenger vehicles involved in the accident are more likely to be injured or die than people in the truck. In fact, about 70% of all passenger vehicle fatalities involve a collision with a large truck. Tractor trailers were involved in approximately 74% of fatal truck accidents, while single-unit trucks were involved in 27%.
In 2023, on average, each fatal crash involving a large truck resulted in 1.12 fatalities. Of these, 82% were not truck occupants, showing the substantial risk passenger vehicles face from accidents with large trucks.
6. On what Day of the Week do most Truck Accidents Happen?
Thursdays have proven to be the most hazardous day for truck accidents. This trend could potentially be attributed to drivers reaching their limits as the workweek nears its end, though the exact cause is still unclear.
In 2014, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays combined saw over half of all truck-related accidents, amounting to 1,893 fatalities. Fast forward to 2017, Thursdays alone accounted for 18% of all truck-related accidents, equating to 745 fatalities.
7. In what Month do most Truck Accidents Happen?
In 2019, the highest number of fatal large truck accidents occurred in September, totaling 456. Fatal truck incidents are spread throughout the year, with October recording the second-highest number of incidents at 432, followed closely by July with 410. For all vehicles, the peak month for traffic fatalities is August.
Conversely, February saw the fewest truck accidents, with a total of 297. The reason is quite straightforward – adverse weather conditions often deter people from driving, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road and, consequently, fewer truck accidents.
8. How often do Truck Accidents Happen at Night?
A significant portion of truck-related crashes happen at night (from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am). These include 37% of all fatal incidents, 24% of all injury-causing crashes, and 20% of all incidents resulting solely in property damage.
9. At what Times do Truck Accidents occur Most Often?
Statistics pertaining to semi-truck accidents reveal that the majority of truck crashes transpire between noon and 3 PM. During this timeframe in 2014, 17% of all daytime crashes occurred, leading to 622 casualties.
By 2017, the percentage of accidents during these hours had increased to 19%, with a death toll of 759. These figures demonstrate a consistent pattern of large truck accidents occurring within this three-hour period over multiple years.
10. What are the Driver Fatality Rates of Truck Accidents?
In 2023, approximately 890 truck drivers tragically died in accidents, equating to an average of 17 deaths each week and nearly three each day.
In 2018, fatal truck accidents resulted in 4,136 fatalities. Given the size and weight of trucks, it’s unsurprising that the majority of those deaths were occupants of passenger vehicles, accounting for 67% of fatalities. In contrast, truck drivers comprised only 16% of deaths.
11. What role does Gender play in Truck Accidents?
Male truck drivers are more frequently involved in accidents than their female counterparts. This trend can largely be attributed to the fact that the trucking industry is predominantly male, and men tend to spend more hours on the road.
In 2018, 97% of large truck driver fatalities were male. This indicates that male drivers bear the brunt of truck accidents.
12. What is the Truck Accident Trend Over Time?
Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reveals that in 2017, there were 4,102 deaths from truck accidents, a substantial 52% increase from 2009.
Since 1975, the rate of occupant deaths in truck accidents has mostly decreased. Specifically, the number of fatalities per miles traveled by trucks has fallen significantly compared to 1975, the year fatal crash data collection began.
13. Are Heavier Trucks More Dangerous?
In contrast to the general trend of declining motor vehicle accidents (which dipped by 2% in recent years), the frequency of crashes involving 18-wheelers has unfortunately risen. Even more concerning, the death rate has seen a 5.8% surge, specifically involving tractor-trailers exceeding 26,000 pounds in weight. Due to their size and weight, large freight trucks continue to be more fatal than most other vehicles.
14. How often is Hazardous Material involved in Truck Accidents?
Only a small fraction, 2%, of large trucks carrying hazardous materials (HM) were implicated in fatal, injury, or towaway accidents. However, among these accidents, HM cargo compartments leaked in 20% of the involved placarded trucks. Most of these leaks, 68% in fatal crashes and 51% in injury and towaway accidents involved flammable liquids such as gasoline and fuel oil.
15. State-Wise Breakdown
Here is a ranked list of the number of fatal truck accidents in each state:
- Texas – 579
- California – 355
- Florida – 311
- Georgia – 180
- Ohio – 152
- North Carolina – 148
- Tennessee – 137
- Pennsylvania – 129
- Alabama – 127
- Illinois – 125
Texas leads the pack with a reported 579 fatal truck accidents. The lone star state serves as a critical hub for cross-country trucking, making it one of the most active states for trucks. Texas’s large population and numerous industrial centers lead to significant truck traffic, contributing to the higher accident rate.
California follows behind Texas with 355 fatal truck accidents. Known for its extensive network of freeways and high population density, California has a constant flow of commercial vehicles traveling long distances.
Finally, Florida ranks third, reporting 311 fatal truck accidents. The Sunshine State’s extensive highway system, booming tourism industry, and numerous ports create a constant flow of commercial truck traffic.
16. Who are the Most Common Victims of Truck Accidents?
Those most likely to get injured or killed in a truck accident are the occupants of the passenger vehicles involved in the accident. As stated earlier, 82% of fatalities in truck accidents are not truck occupants.
Back in 2017, big truck-related crashes led to the most deaths among passenger vehicle occupants, accounting for 68% of fatalities, or 2,797 deaths. Truck occupants, on the other hand, made up 17% (or 683 deaths) of fatalities. The remaining 14% of fatalities occurred among pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists involved in major truck accidents, totaling 580 deaths.
17. Where do most Truck Accidents Happen?
According to the NHTSA, 57% of fatal truck accidents occurred in rural areas in 2019. The reason behind this figure may be due to the heightened level of vigilance drivers exhibit in urban environments due to complex traffic conditions.
Conversely, the seemingly open and safe conditions in rural areas can give drivers a false sense of security, leading to increased distraction and negligence. It’s also worth noting that distracted driving leads to over 1,000 injuries each day.
18. What is the Economic Impact of Truck Accidents?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that the average cost of a commercial truck accident in which one person is injured amounts to $148,279.
These costs encompass medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage, among other things. However, when a fatal trucking accident occurs, the cost skyrockets to a staggering average of $7.2 million per accident.
19. How do Truck Accidents compare to Car Accidents?
The risk of fatality in truck accidents differs significantly from car accidents. Rollover crashes in particular show the most significant divergence. About 48% of truck occupants involved in rollover accidents lose their lives, a percentage much higher than the 22% observed for car occupants in similar circumstances.
This disparity isn’t exclusive to cars. For SUVs, 45% of all occupant deaths result from rollover accidents. This percentage is still less than the truck occupant fatality rate, yet significantly higher than for cars. Pickup truck occupants, meanwhile, face a slightly lower fatality risk from rollover accidents, with a 41% death rate.
20. How do Accidents for Different Size Trucks Compare?
Crashes can occur with both heavy and light trucks. However, incidents involving light trucks are more prevalent. In 2020, light trucks were involved in 20,566 fatal car accidents, of which 8,779 featured light pickup trucks. On the other hand, semi-trucks and other large trucks were part of 4,482 fatal car accidents in the same year.
