Trucking has become one of the most dangerous professions in the United States, as serious and fatal crashes involving 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks continue to rise in frequency across the country.
Fatal Truck Accidents Have Spiked 19% Since 2020 — And Nearly 50% Since 2015
More than 14 million registered commercial trucks currently generate over $940 Billion in revenue annually, transporting close to 72% of the country’s freight. That amounts to roughly $10.6 trillion worth of retail and manufactured goods delivered each year!
But according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), our nation’s roads and highways have never been deadlier. At least 5,279 fatal trucking accidents occurred in the U.S. in 2022, representing over 9% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes that year and a 2% increase over 2021.
In fact, fatal truck accidents have increased 49% over the last decade (since 2015) and spiked another 19% since 2020. Fatalities also surged with 5,936 lives lost in large truck accidents, accounting for an astounding 14% of all motor vehicle fatalities — 115 more truck fatalities than in 2021.
The vast majority – 71% — involved big rigs with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR, of more than 26,000 lbs. Combination trucks — tractor-trailer rigs, doubles, and straight trucks pulling a trailer — accounted for roughly 64% of those crashes.
Truck Driver Deaths Increase, but the Motoring Public Is at the Greatest Risk
Large truck crashes claimed the lives of 1,097 truck occupants in 2022, an increase of 86 over the prior year. Crashes involving “class 8” trucks that weigh over 33,000 lbs. killed 662 truck drivers with speed contributing to 19% of these crashes. In 44% of these incidents, the truck driver was not wearing a seat belt.
When combined with trucker deaths from other factors, these accidents made trucking one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, with 14.6 fatalities per 10,000 workers compared to 3.5 deaths per 10,000 workers overall, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In fact, this surge in deadly accidents is likely tied to a historic shortage of qualified drivers — putting more new, undertrained, and inexperienced truckers on the road. Nearly 21% of truck drivers in a fatal crash had previous recorded crashes, a higher percentage compared to drivers of passenger vehicles. At least 18% had previous speeding convictions.
While the increase is certainly concerning, the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles remain the most vulnerable when involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler or other large commercial truck. Since 2013, car-truck crashes have killed at least 48,308 people, including 34,583 traveling in cars and other passenger vehicles.
In 2022, 70% of those killed in crashes involving large trucks were occupants of a passenger vehicle, with 4,167 people tragically losing their lives. What’s worse, preliminary crash statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicate another 9,545 lost their lives in large truck crashes in 2023 and 2024.
Texas Leads Nation in Fatal Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents
Deadly truck and 18-wheeler accidents continue to surge in Texas, which experienced the most fatal crashes (782) in 2022. The Lone Star State was followed by California with 421, Florida with 360, Georgia with 264, and Ohio with 219.
Although Southern California is notorious for fatal truck crashes, Texas’ counties have grown more dangerous in recent years with both Los Angeles County and Harris County seeing a total of 56 crashes to lead the nation.
Meanwhile, Texas also leads the top cities for fatal truck and 18-wheeler accidents, including:
- Dallas, Texas: 30 crashes
- Houston, Texas: 28 crashes
- Phoenix, Arizona: 28 crashes
- San Antonio, Texas: 17 crashes
- Memphis, Tennessee: 15 crashes
- Los Angeles, California: 14 crashes
- Albuquerque, New Mexico: 14 crashes
- Chicago, Illinois: 14 crashes
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: 10 crashes
- Tucson, Arizona: 9 crashes
Leading Causes of Truck Accidents
Underride crashes are among the most common causes of trucking-related deaths, and accounted for 233 deadly accidents between 2020 and 2022. California came out on top, with 26 fatal underride crashes, followed by North Carolina (25), Pennsylvania (22), and Texas (19). However, these crashes are most likely vastly underreported due to inconsistencies in the way various law enforcement agencies log such accidents.
A truck driver’s improper lane usage was the leading cause of fatal crashes in 2022, and resulted in 545 deadly collisions.
Other common truck accident causes included:
- Failure to yield the right of way to another vehicle: 433 fatal crashes
- Careless driving: 432 fatal crashes
- Failure to obey traffic signs or signals: 261 fatal crashes
- Driving the wrong way in one- or two-way traffic: 243 fatal crashes
- Improperly following another vehicle: 147 fatal crashes
- Overcorrecting: 133 fatal crashes
- Passing where prohibited, improper, or with insufficient space: 128 fatal crashes
- Operating vehicle erratically or recklessly: 115 fatal crashes
- Improper lane change: 96 fatal crashes
- Aggressive driving: 52 fatal crashes
- Making an improper turn: 43 fatal crashes
- Stopping in Roadway: 36 fatal crashes
Truck Accidents Most Likely on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Least Likely on Sundays
Most fatal tuck and 18-wheeler accidents occur on weekdays, with Fridays (906) taking the lead. Tuesday (898) were a close second, while Wednesday (873) turned out to be the third deadliest day of the week.
Meanwhile, Sundays saw the fewest fatal truck accidents, with just 396.
Although many people would expect rush hour to be prime time for deadly truck and 18-wheeler crashes, the greatest number actually occurred between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., which, due to the body’s natural “circadian dip,” is one of the two times of day when truck drivers are most likely to be fatigued.
Injured in a Truck or 18-Wheeler Accident? Contact our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers at 1-888-603-3636.
Our Undefeated Truck and 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyers have won Billions for our clients, including some of the Largest Truck Accident Verdicts and Settlements in Texas.
If you or someone you love were injured or tragically killed as a result of a truck or 18 wheeler crash, our Truck Accident Lawyers can help.
Please call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here to send us a confidential email via our “Contact Us” form.
Your consultation is completely free and because we only work for a contingency fee, you won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.