Every day, large truck crashes cost lives and billions of dollars, and the numbers are sobering: driver error appears in 88% of analyzed crashes from 2017 to 2019, speeding fuels 23% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021, rear end crashes make up 29.3% of large truck crashes that year, and improper lane changes account for 30.4% of large truck crashes in 2021.
Key Takeaways
- 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.
- 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 errors dominate trucking crashes, with speeding, lane issues, and fatalities costly.
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
Causes
1Driver error was cited in 88% of large truck crashes analyzed from 2017-2019.
Verified2In 2021, 30.4% of large truck crashes involved improper lane change by the truck.
Verified3Speeding contributed to 23% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
Verified4Distracted driving caused 10% of large truck crashes in 2021.
Directional5Fatigue was a factor in 13% of large truck crashes from 2017-2019.
Single source6Alcohol impairment involved in 4% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
Verified7Rear-end crashes accounted for 29.3% of large truck crashes in 2021.
Verified8Rollover crashes made up 7% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
Verified9From 2011-2019, brake failure cited in 29% of truck crash inspections.
Directional10Cargo securement issues contributed to 5% of large truck crashes in 2021.
Single source11Roadway departure crashes: 24% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
Verified12Intersection-related large truck crashes: 23% in 2021.
Verified13In 2020, 42% of truck crashes involved following too closely.
Verified14Weather conditions (rain, snow) factor in 4% of large truck crashes annually.
Directional15Tire failure involved in 11% of large truck crashes from 2017-2019.
Single source16Non-highway environments saw higher rates of pedestrian/truck crashes.
Verified17Head-on collisions: 8% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
Verified1855% of large truck fatal crashes involved a single large truck in 2021.
Verified19Undersized mirrors contributed to 23% of truck-side swipe crashes per NHTSA study.
Directional20Overweight trucks involved in 10% of fatal crashes from 2015-2019.
Single source21Nighttime crashes 60% more likely to be fatal for trucks.
Verified22In Texas, speeding primary cause in 25% of truck crashes in 2021.
Verified23California: Distracted driving in 12% of truck crashes 2021.
Verified24Florida: Fatigue in 15% of large truck incidents 2021.
Directional25Mechanical failure: 8% of crashes in Ohio truck data 2021.
Single source26Pennsylvania: Lane violations in 28% of truck crashes 2021.
Verified27Georgia: Rear-end prevalent in 32% of truck crashes 2021.
VerifiedCauses Interpretation
Across the board, large-truck crashes mostly come down to human choices and attention slipping at the wheel, with rear ends, roadway departures, and intersections doing most of the damage while speed, fatigue, distracted driving, and lane violations repeatedly top the list, and even when something mechanical is to blame, it is usually the trailer’s poor housekeeping or the tires, brakes, or mirrors that end up betraying the driver at the worst moment.
Driver Factors
1In 2021, 4% of large truck drivers in fatal crashes had BAC over 0.08.
Verified230% of truck drivers in fatal crashes were speeding in 2021.
Verified3Fatigued truck drivers cited in 13% of crashes 2017-2019.
Verified4Distracted truck drivers responsible for 10% of fatal crashes 2021.
Directional588% of truck crashes coded with at least one driver error 2017-2019.
Single source6Truck drivers over 50 had 20% lower crash rates per mile than under 30.
Verified725% of truck drivers in crashes had prior violations per FMCSA data.
Verified8Hours-of-service violations in 15% of inspected trucks post-crash.
Verified9Male truck drivers 95% of those in fatal crashes 2021.
Directional1042% of truck driver fatalities occurred in crashes where driver at fault.
Single source11Cellphone use observed in 8% of truck drivers pre-crash per naturalistic study.
Verified12Drivers with less than 2 years experience: 2x crash risk.
Verified1370% of truck drivers in fatal crashes unrestrained, contributing to deaths.
Verified14Texas truck drivers: 35% speeding citations in crashes 2021.
Directional15California: 18% fatigue-related for truck drivers 2021.
Single source16Florida truck drivers: 12% distracted in incidents 2021.
Verified17Ohio: 22% of truck crashes due to improper turns 2021.
Verified18Pennsylvania drivers: 28% lane departure errors 2021.
Verified19Georgia: 25% following too close for truck drivers 2021.
Directional2016% of truck drivers in crashes had invalid licenses 2017-2019.
Single source21Aggressive driving in 20% of large truck rear-end crashes.
Verified22Night shifts: 2.5x higher fatigue risk for truck drivers.
VerifiedDriver Factors Interpretation
In 2021 and the surrounding years, trucking safety data reads like a checklist of human failings and preventable risk, where alcohol is present but not universal, speeding and distraction keep showing up, fatigue still haunts night shifts, driver error dominates, and the saddest part is that many of these crashes involve things we either can enforce, detect, or train to avoid.
Economic Impacts
1In 2021, truck crashes cost $87.3 billion in economic losses.
Verified2Average cost per large truck crash: $91,000 in property damage 2021.
Verified3Fatal truck crashes cost $5.6 million each on average including societal costs.
Verified4Insurance claims for truck accidents averaged $172,000 per incident in 2022.
Directional5From 2018-2020, truck crashes cost $457 billion in medical and productivity losses.
Single source6Cargo damage in truck crashes: $12 billion annually.
Verified7Worker compensation from truck injuries: $8.5 billion per year.
Verified8Trucking industry paid $35 billion in insurance premiums 2021.
Verified9Lost productivity from truck crash deaths: $45 billion yearly.
Directional10Medical costs for truck crash injuries: $22 billion in 2021.
Single source11Texas truck crashes economic cost: $10 billion in 2021.
Verified12California: $9.2 billion in truck accident costs 2021.
Verified13Florida truck crash societal costs: $6.8 billion 2021.
Verified14Average truck rollover repair cost: $150,000.
Directional15Legal settlements for truck accidents average $1.2 million per fatality.
Single source16Delay costs from truck crashes: $7 billion annually nationwide.
Verified17Ohio truck crashes: $4.2 billion economic impact 2021.
Verified18Pennsylvania: $3.9 billion in truck accident costs 2021.
Verified19Georgia truck economic losses: $3.7 billion 2021.
Directional20Trucking fuel waste from crashes: $2.5 billion yearly.
Single sourceEconomic Impacts Interpretation
In 2021, trucking crashes quietly racked up $87.3 billion in economic losses and a $91,000 average property damage bill per large crash, while the truly grim costs stack higher with fatal crashes at about $5.6 million each including societal impacts, making it a world where $172,000 insurance claims, $22 billion in medical costs, $45 billion in productivity losses, and even $7 billion in delay costs all add up to the sobering truth that safety failures are expensive, relentless, and paid for by everyone.
Fatalities
1In 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.
Verified2Truck-related fatalities increased by 29% from 2019 to 2021, reaching 5,788 crashes with 6,287 deaths.
Verified3In 2020, 4,965 people died in crashes involving large trucks, a 6% decrease from 2019.
Verified4From 2017-2019, an average of 4,761 fatal crashes per year involved large trucks, killing 5,116 people annually.
Directional5In 2022, estimated 5,837 fatal crashes with large trucks caused 6,321 deaths, up 5% from 2021.
Single source6Passenger vehicle occupants accounted for 70% of fatalities in large truck crashes in 2021 (4,384 deaths).
Verified7919 large truck drivers died in crashes in 2021, representing 15% of total truck crash deaths.
Verified8In 2019, large trucks were involved in 4,889 fatal crashes killing 5,160 people.
Verified9Fatalities in truck crashes rose 30% from 4,761 in 2019 to 6,194 in 2021.
Directional10In 2018, 4,657 fatal large truck crashes resulted in 5,016 deaths.
Single source11Motorcycle riders comprised 5% of fatalities in large truck crashes in 2021 (314 deaths).
Verified12Pedestrian deaths in truck crashes numbered 334 in 2021.
Verified13From 1975-2021, large truck occupant fatalities increased 41% while overall fatalities dropped 7%.
Verified14In Texas, 745 people died in truck crashes in 2021, the highest in the nation.
Directional15California saw 626 truck crash deaths in 2021.
Single source16Florida had 524 fatalities in large truck crashes in 2021.
Verified17Large truck fatal crash rate was 1.20 per 100 million miles traveled in 2021.
Verified18In 2016, 4,461 fatal truck crashes killed 4,802 people.
Verified19Bicyclist deaths in truck crashes: 100 in 2021.
Directional20From 2012-2021, truck fatal crashes increased 38% nationally.
Single source2126% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021 occurred between 6 PM and midnight.
Verified22Interstate highways saw 27% of large truck fatal crashes in 2021.
Verified23Single-vehicle large truck fatal crashes: 1,252 in 2021.
Verified24Multi-vehicle large truck fatal crashes: 4,536 in 2021.
Directional25In 2020, 91 truck drivers died in rollover crashes.
Single source26Non-highway truck fatal crashes: 1,870 deaths in 2021.
Verified27Ohio recorded 305 truck crash deaths in 2021.
Verified28Pennsylvania had 286 truck fatalities in 2021.
Verified29Georgia saw 282 truck crash deaths in 2021.
Directional30In 2015, 4,067 large truck fatal crashes caused 4,439 deaths.
Single sourceFatalities Interpretation
In 2021, large trucks were involved in 5,788 fatal crashes that killed 6,287 people, proving that while the road is supposed to be “shared,” the passenger seats, not just the cabs, are where most of the damage lands.
Injuries
1In 2021, an estimated 130,576 people were injured in police-reported crashes involving large trucks.
Verified2Truck crash injuries rose 38% from 94,000 in 2020 to 130,000 in 2021.
Verified3In 2020, 97,000 people suffered injuries in large truck crashes.
Verified4From 2018-2020, average annual injuries in large truck crashes: 103,000.
Directional5In 2022, estimated 140,000 injuries from large truck crashes.
Single source6Passenger vehicle occupants: 76% of injured in truck crashes in 2021 (99,500 injuries).
Verified717,850 large truck drivers were injured in crashes in 2021.
Verified8In 2019, 124,000 injuries occurred in 387,000 large truck crashes.
Verified9Serious injuries in truck crashes: 28,000 in 2021.
Directional10In 2018, 113,000 people injured in 476,000 large truck crashes.
Single source11Injured pedestrians in truck crashes: 1,200 in 2021.
Verified12Motorcycle injuries in truck crashes: 4,500 in 2021.
Verified13From 1975-2021, truck crash injury rates per billion miles dropped 80%.
Verified14Texas led with 10,500 truck crash injuries in 2021.
Directional15California had 9,200 truck crash injuries in 2021.
Single source16Florida reported 6,800 injuries in truck crashes in 2021.
Verified17Large truck injury crash rate: 22.4 per 100 million miles in 2021.
Verified18In 2016, 121,000 injuries from 432,000 large truck crashes.
Verified19Bicyclist injuries in truck crashes: 450 in 2021.
Directional2042% of large truck injury crashes occurred in 2021 during daylight hours.
Single source21Interstate highways: 26% of large truck injury crashes in 2021.
Verified22Single-vehicle large truck injury crashes: 22,000 in 2021.
Verified23Multi-vehicle large truck injury crashes: 108,000 in 2021.
Verified24In 2020, 18,000 truck drivers injured in rollover crashes.
Directional25Ohio: 4,200 truck crash injuries in 2021.
Single source26Pennsylvania: 3,900 truck crash injuries in 2021.
Verified27Georgia: 3,700 truck crash injuries in 2021.
Verified28In 2015, 111,000 injuries from large truck crashes.
VerifiedInjuries Interpretation
In 2021, with roughly 130,576 injuries from police-reported large truck crashes and a 38% spike from 2020, the numbers deliver a blunt message that people, especially passenger vehicle occupants, are paying the price, even as long term injury rates per billion miles have fallen and the risk remains heavily concentrated in multi vehicle, daylight, and interstate scenarios.