While headlines often focus on distant wars or political strife, a more silent and deadly conflict unfolds daily on American highways, where the sobering statistics reveal that in 2021 alone, large trucks were involved in 5,788 fatal crashes claiming 6,287 lives—a staggering 29% increase from just two years prior.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, large trucks were involved in 5,788 fatal motor vehicle crashes, resulting in 6,287 total fatalities including 919 truck drivers and 5,368 non-truck occupants.
- Truck-related fatalities increased by 29% from 2019 to 2021, reaching 5,788 crashes with 6,287 deaths.
- In 2020, 4,965 people died in crashes involving large trucks, a 6% decrease from 2019.
- In 2021, an estimated 130,576 people were injured in police-reported crashes involving large trucks.
- Truck crash injuries rose 38% from 94,000 in 2020 to 130,000 in 2021.
- In 2020, 97,000 people suffered injuries in large truck crashes.
- Driver error was cited in 88% of large truck crashes analyzed from 2017-2019.
- In 2021, 30.4% of large truck crashes involved improper lane change by the truck.
- Speeding contributed to 23% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
- In 2021, 4% of large truck drivers in fatal crashes had BAC over 0.08.
- 30% of truck drivers in fatal crashes were speeding in 2021.
- Fatigued truck drivers cited in 13% of crashes 2017-2019.
- In 2021, truck crashes cost $87.3 billion in economic losses.
- Average cost per large truck crash: $91,000 in property damage 2021.
- Fatal truck crashes cost $5.6 million each on average including societal costs.
Large truck accidents cause rising fatalities, reaching over six thousand in 2022.
Causes
- Driver error was cited in 88% of large truck crashes analyzed from 2017-2019.
- In 2021, 30.4% of large truck crashes involved improper lane change by the truck.
- Speeding contributed to 23% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
- Distracted driving caused 10% of large truck crashes in 2021.
- Fatigue was a factor in 13% of large truck crashes from 2017-2019.
- Alcohol impairment involved in 4% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
- Rear-end crashes accounted for 29.3% of large truck crashes in 2021.
- Rollover crashes made up 7% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
- From 2011-2019, brake failure cited in 29% of truck crash inspections.
- Cargo securement issues contributed to 5% of large truck crashes in 2021.
- Roadway departure crashes: 24% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
- Intersection-related large truck crashes: 23% in 2021.
- In 2020, 42% of truck crashes involved following too closely.
- Weather conditions (rain, snow) factor in 4% of large truck crashes annually.
- Tire failure involved in 11% of large truck crashes from 2017-2019.
- Non-highway environments saw higher rates of pedestrian/truck crashes.
- Head-on collisions: 8% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
- 55% of large truck fatal crashes involved a single large truck in 2021.
- Undersized mirrors contributed to 23% of truck-side swipe crashes per NHTSA study.
- Overweight trucks involved in 10% of fatal crashes from 2015-2019.
- Nighttime crashes 60% more likely to be fatal for trucks.
- In Texas, speeding primary cause in 25% of truck crashes in 2021.
- California: Distracted driving in 12% of truck crashes 2021.
- Florida: Fatigue in 15% of large truck incidents 2021.
- Mechanical failure: 8% of crashes in Ohio truck data 2021.
- Pennsylvania: Lane violations in 28% of truck crashes 2021.
- Georgia: Rear-end prevalent in 32% of truck crashes 2021.
Causes Interpretation
While the occasional brake or tire may falter, the grim ledger of trucking accidents overwhelmingly indicts the human element—from speeding and distraction to fatigue and lane violations—as the persistent pilot error in this metal equation.
Driver Factors
- In 2021, 4% of large truck drivers in fatal crashes had BAC over 0.08.
- 30% of truck drivers in fatal crashes were speeding in 2021.
- Fatigued truck drivers cited in 13% of crashes 2017-2019.
- Distracted truck drivers responsible for 10% of fatal crashes 2021.
- 88% of truck crashes coded with at least one driver error 2017-2019.
- Truck drivers over 50 had 20% lower crash rates per mile than under 30.
- 25% of truck drivers in crashes had prior violations per FMCSA data.
- Hours-of-service violations in 15% of inspected trucks post-crash.
- Male truck drivers 95% of those in fatal crashes 2021.
- 42% of truck driver fatalities occurred in crashes where driver at fault.
- Cellphone use observed in 8% of truck drivers pre-crash per naturalistic study.
- Drivers with less than 2 years experience: 2x crash risk.
- 70% of truck drivers in fatal crashes unrestrained, contributing to deaths.
- Texas truck drivers: 35% speeding citations in crashes 2021.
- California: 18% fatigue-related for truck drivers 2021.
- Florida truck drivers: 12% distracted in incidents 2021.
- Ohio: 22% of truck crashes due to improper turns 2021.
- Pennsylvania drivers: 28% lane departure errors 2021.
- Georgia: 25% following too close for truck drivers 2021.
- 16% of truck drivers in crashes had invalid licenses 2017-2019.
- Aggressive driving in 20% of large truck rear-end crashes.
- Night shifts: 2.5x higher fatigue risk for truck drivers.
Driver Factors Interpretation
While the data paints truck drivers as a group plagued by speeding, fatigue, distraction, and error, the silver lining is that experience, sobriety, and seatbelts are proven life-savers, suggesting the real villain isn't the job but the preventable human lapses within it.
Economic Impacts
- In 2021, truck crashes cost $87.3 billion in economic losses.
- Average cost per large truck crash: $91,000 in property damage 2021.
- Fatal truck crashes cost $5.6 million each on average including societal costs.
- Insurance claims for truck accidents averaged $172,000 per incident in 2022.
- From 2018-2020, truck crashes cost $457 billion in medical and productivity losses.
- Cargo damage in truck crashes: $12 billion annually.
- Worker compensation from truck injuries: $8.5 billion per year.
- Trucking industry paid $35 billion in insurance premiums 2021.
- Lost productivity from truck crash deaths: $45 billion yearly.
- Medical costs for truck crash injuries: $22 billion in 2021.
- Texas truck crashes economic cost: $10 billion in 2021.
- California: $9.2 billion in truck accident costs 2021.
- Florida truck crash societal costs: $6.8 billion 2021.
- Average truck rollover repair cost: $150,000.
- Legal settlements for truck accidents average $1.2 million per fatality.
- Delay costs from truck crashes: $7 billion annually nationwide.
- Ohio truck crashes: $4.2 billion economic impact 2021.
- Pennsylvania: $3.9 billion in truck accident costs 2021.
- Georgia truck economic losses: $3.7 billion 2021.
- Trucking fuel waste from crashes: $2.5 billion yearly.
Economic Impacts Interpretation
The trucking industry is hemorrhaging billions annually, proving that the real cargo being delivered is a staggering invoice for human tragedy and economic waste.
Fatalities
- In 2021, large trucks were involved in 5,788 fatal motor vehicle crashes, resulting in 6,287 total fatalities including 919 truck drivers and 5,368 non-truck occupants.
- Truck-related fatalities increased by 29% from 2019 to 2021, reaching 5,788 crashes with 6,287 deaths.
- In 2020, 4,965 people died in crashes involving large trucks, a 6% decrease from 2019.
- From 2017-2019, an average of 4,761 fatal crashes per year involved large trucks, killing 5,116 people annually.
- In 2022, estimated 5,837 fatal crashes with large trucks caused 6,321 deaths, up 5% from 2021.
- Passenger vehicle occupants accounted for 70% of fatalities in large truck crashes in 2021 (4,384 deaths).
- 919 large truck drivers died in crashes in 2021, representing 15% of total truck crash deaths.
- In 2019, large trucks were involved in 4,889 fatal crashes killing 5,160 people.
- Fatalities in truck crashes rose 30% from 4,761 in 2019 to 6,194 in 2021.
- In 2018, 4,657 fatal large truck crashes resulted in 5,016 deaths.
- Motorcycle riders comprised 5% of fatalities in large truck crashes in 2021 (314 deaths).
- Pedestrian deaths in truck crashes numbered 334 in 2021.
- From 1975-2021, large truck occupant fatalities increased 41% while overall fatalities dropped 7%.
- In Texas, 745 people died in truck crashes in 2021, the highest in the nation.
- California saw 626 truck crash deaths in 2021.
- Florida had 524 fatalities in large truck crashes in 2021.
- Large truck fatal crash rate was 1.20 per 100 million miles traveled in 2021.
- In 2016, 4,461 fatal truck crashes killed 4,802 people.
- Bicyclist deaths in truck crashes: 100 in 2021.
- From 2012-2021, truck fatal crashes increased 38% nationally.
- 26% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021 occurred between 6 PM and midnight.
- Interstate highways saw 27% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
- Single-vehicle large truck fatal crashes: 1,252 in 2021.
- Multi-vehicle large truck fatal crashes: 4,536 in 2021.
- In 2020, 91 truck drivers died in rollover crashes.
- Non-highway truck fatal crashes: 1,870 deaths in 2021.
- Ohio recorded 305 truck crash deaths in 2021.
- Pennsylvania had 286 truck fatalities in 2021.
- Georgia saw 282 truck crash deaths in 2021.
- In 2015, 4,067 large truck fatal crashes caused 4,439 deaths.
Fatalities Interpretation
Even as we’ve engineered cars to be safer than ever, the tragic and rising toll from truck crashes suggests we're failing to engineer a system where their immense power and our hurried demands can safely coexist.
Injuries
- In 2021, an estimated 130,576 people were injured in police-reported crashes involving large trucks.
- Truck crash injuries rose 38% from 94,000 in 2020 to 130,000 in 2021.
- In 2020, 97,000 people suffered injuries in large truck crashes.
- From 2018-2020, average annual injuries in large truck crashes: 103,000.
- In 2022, estimated 140,000 injuries from large truck crashes.
- Passenger vehicle occupants: 76% of injured in truck crashes in 2021 (99,500 injuries).
- 17,850 large truck drivers were injured in crashes in 2021.
- In 2019, 124,000 injuries occurred in 387,000 large truck crashes.
- Serious injuries in truck crashes: 28,000 in 2021.
- In 2018, 113,000 people injured in 476,000 large truck crashes.
- Injured pedestrians in truck crashes: 1,200 in 2021.
- Motorcycle injuries in truck crashes: 4,500 in 2021.
- From 1975-2021, truck crash injury rates per billion miles dropped 80%.
- Texas led with 10,500 truck crash injuries in 2021.
- California had 9,200 truck crash injuries in 2021.
- Florida reported 6,800 injuries in truck crashes in 2021.
- Large truck injury crash rate: 22.4 per 100 million miles in 2021.
- In 2016, 121,000 injuries from 432,000 large truck crashes.
- Bicyclist injuries in truck crashes: 450 in 2021.
- 42% of large truck injury crashes occurred in 2021 during daylight hours.
- Interstate highways: 26% of large truck injury crashes in 2021.
- Single-vehicle large truck injury crashes: 22,000 in 2021.
- Multi-vehicle large truck injury crashes: 108,000 in 2021.
- In 2020, 18,000 truck drivers injured in rollover crashes.
- Ohio: 4,200 truck crash injuries in 2021.
- Pennsylvania: 3,900 truck crash injuries in 2021.
- Georgia: 3,700 truck crash injuries in 2021.
- In 2015, 111,000 injuries from large truck crashes.
Injuries Interpretation
While the 80% drop in per-mile injury rates since 1975 shows safety progress, the stubborn rise in raw injury numbers, especially among passenger vehicle occupants, suggests our highways are increasingly a brutal arena where multi-ton trucks and regular cars often collide with painful, and sometimes preventable, consequences.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CRASHSTATScrashstats.nhtsa.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 2NHTSAnhtsa.govVisit source
- Reference 3FMCSAfmcsa.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 4IIHSiihs.orgVisit source
- Reference 5TTNEWSttnews.comVisit source
- Reference 6CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 7IIIiii.orgVisit source
- Reference 8OPSops.fhwa.dot.govVisit source