Consumer Shield reports that there are around 143,000 to 166,000 truck accidents every year in the US, with 6% of these being fatal crashes. This indicates that trucks are significantly underrepresented in fatal vehicle accidents.
Many truck accidents are quite serious and can result in injuries with graver consequences than other motor vehicle accidents. It's essential to understand truck accident statistics and learn how to protect yourself from trucks when driving on America's busy roads and highways.
Truck Accident Statistics
Looking at truck crash data can give you a better picture of what's going on on the roads of America.
Even though there are hundreds of thousands of commercial vehicle accidents every year, thankfully, most of them are non-fatal, which may seem surprising given the weight and size of these trucks.
Over the past five years, there has been a steady decrease in the number of fatalities involving commercial trucks, with 2022 being the sole outlier:
- 2021 - 5,610 fatalities
- 2022 - 5,800 fatalities
- 2023 - 4,890 fatalities
- 2024 - 4,570 fatalities
- As of Sep 2025 - 2,510 fatalities
There was an 18.5% decrease in fatalities between 2021 and 2024, largely due to ongoing safety improvements and enhanced fleet management strategies.
While numbers are decreasing, there are still thousands of people dying each year from truck accidents. It's important to understand the reasons behind these accidents to help prevent them in the future.
What Are the Causes of Truck Accidents?
The main reason, as you can imagine, is due to human error. Truck drivers often feel pressure to deliver payloads by a certain date and time, which can cause them to make risky decisions when driving.
The drivers are also on the road more often than the average driver, meaning that they are more likely to be overrepresented in crash statistics. There have also been cases of driver exhaustion due to mismanagement of the fleet and timetables by the trucking companies.
The NTSB states that 30-40% of truck driving accidents are due to fatigue. Driving in a drowsy state is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Truck drivers might fall asleep behind the wheel for only a second, but in that time, everything changes, resulting in accidents.
What Is Distracted Driving?
Another major reason for accidents is distraction. You've probably experienced this yourself.
Distracted driving is defined as anything that takes your attention away from the road, like:
- Talking on your cellphone
- Putting on makeup
- Drinking or eating while driving
- Fiddling with the radio
- Talking to the people in your vehicle
There are laws against distracted driving now in most states that prohibit the use of cellphones (even for a second) while driving. Even so, people still do it, believing that the time it takes to make a phone call or respond to a text isn't significant.
The issue is that while responding to a text might only take five seconds, that brief distraction is all it takes for disaster to strike. Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming a total of 3,275 lives in 2023, according to the NHTSA.
What Are Some Other Reasons for Truck Accidents?
Some other reasons for increased truck accidents include:
- An aging workforce
- Shortage of new drivers, which puts more pressure on the fleet
- An increase in inexperienced new drivers on the road
All of the reasons above can be alleviated by better fleet management. For example, companies could put more experienced truck drivers on more complicated routes.
Companies can use younger, inexperienced drivers on easier, shorter routes at first to give them experience.
How to Drive Defensively to Protect Yourself on the Highways?
It's important to follow accident prevention tips and drive defensively when on the road next to trucks and other heavy freight vehicles.
Not only do you need to be extremely alert when driving on the highways at high speeds, but you also have to remember that, because of the size of their vehicles, truck drivers have different sight lines than the average driver. Recognizing commercial trucks' blind spots and quickly getting out of those areas is a crucial part of staying safe on the road.
Keep your distance when driving behind a truck to give them enough space to stop if necessary. You should also make sure that you're driving a safe distance from the vehicles in front of you.
On highways, high speeds make it harder to stop quickly. If you're in front of a truck and riding too closely to traffic in front of you, you might have to stop quickly.
Commercial trucks need time to stop because of their mass, so if you stop suddenly and they can't, you could find yourself in a life-threatening accident.
If you ever end up in an accident with a truck driver, make sure to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Are Accidents Increasing?
In general, accidents are increasing due to the number of vehicles on the road and pressure on companies to deliver products faster. Other reasons could be:
- Infrastructure shortcomings in various states due to a lack of funding
- An aging workforce is leaving inexperienced drivers to cover complicated routes
- An increase in distracted driving
Increasingly, drivers are driving distracted, tired, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This also applies to truck drivers.
Which Highway Has the Most Accidents?
I-95 is considered to be the most dangerous highway in the United States, running from Miami, Florida, to the Canadian border in Houlton, Maine. The I-4 comes in a close second.
Learn More About Road Safety Trends
Knowledge is power, and staying informed about truck accident statistics ensures you can make the best decision when driving on the highways of America. You must protect yourself and your family from the dangers that lurk on the roads.
Follow our accident prevention tips and use defensive driving as a way of staying safe when commercial vehicles are around you.
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This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.
