According to the latest data, there are more than 167,000 semi-truck accidents each year in the US.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
If you’re researching the topic, you’re probably looking for more than a headline number — like how many of accidents cause injuries or fatalities, what’s causing accidents, and which types of crashes are most dangerous.
Finding that information isn’t easy.
Government sources like the NHTSA, FMCSA and MCMIS are packed with data, but it can take hours to sift through it all. So we’ve done the work for you.
Below, you’ll find updated charts, insights, and highlights to help you understand the full picture of semi-truck accidents in the U.S. today.
Los Justicieros are dedicated trucking accident lawyers in California. We use trucking accident data and statistics to win compensation for our clients injured in trucking accidents — if this is you, contact us today for a free consultation.
Semi-Truck Accident Statistics
Total semi-truck Accidents
How many semi-truck accidents are there per year?
- Based on the latest MCMIS data, there were 167,425 reported semi-truck accidents in 2024.¹
Are semi-truck accident increasing or decreasing?
- Semi-truck accidents are decreasing, with 2024 seeing a 2.6% decrease on 2023 when 171,799 truck crashes were reported.¹
What state has the most semi-truck accidents?
- Texas is the state with the most semi-truck accidents with 18,276 in 2024, followed by California (11,268), Florida (8,578), Georgia (8,406) and Pennsylvania (6,942).¹
The data used in this article comes from the FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), last updated on April 25, 2025.
While MCMIS is the most current and comprehensive source of semi-truck accident data in the U.S., it’s important to note that the figures are considered preliminary for up to 22 months. This allows time for corrections and updates from state and federal reporting agencies.
We’ll continue to update the stats in this article as soon as more accurate figures are published.
Fatalities & Injuries Caused by Semi-Truck Accidents
How many people are injured in semi-truck accidents per year?
- Based on the latest MCMIS data, there were 74,078 people injured in semi-truck accidents in 2024.¹
Who is most likely to be injured in a semi-truck accident?
- Based on data from the NHTSA, at least 73% of people injured in semi-truck accidents were either occupants of other passenger vehicles or non-occupants (pedestrians, cyclists, or others) in 2023.²
How many people are killed in semi-truck accidents per year?
- At least 4,602 people were killed in semi-truck accidents in 2024.¹
Who is most likely to be killed in a semi-truck accident?
- At least 82% of victims in fatal truck crashes were either occupants of other passenger vehicles or non-occupants (pedestrians, cyclists, or others) in 2023. This suggests the majority of fatalities in semi-truck accidents are not the truck driver or occupants of the truck.
Which state has the most semi-truck fatalities?
- Texas is the state with the most fatalities from semi-truck accidents with 720 in 2024, followed by California (314), Florida (266), Georgia (175) and Tennessee (163).
Are semi-truck crashes more dangerous than passenger crashes?
- Yes. Based on data from the NHTSA, Large trucks accounted for 5% of all registered vehicles in 2023, but were involved in 9% of all fatal traffic crashes.²
Do semi-trucks cause more fatal traffic accidents than passenger cars?
- No. On average, 9.2% of all vehicles involved in fatal traffic crashes were large trucks in 2023. The percentages of large trucks involved in fatal traffic crashes as a proportion of all vehicles ranged from 1.7% in Hawaii to 22.5% in Wyoming.
Are fatal semi-truck accidents increasing or decreasing?
- Based on the latest MCMIS data, fatal semi-truck accidents are decreasing, with 2024 seeing a 8.4% decrease on 2023 when 5,022 fatalities were reported.¹
Causes of Fatal Semi-Truck Accidents
What’s the most common cause of fatal crashes involving semi-trucks?
- Based on FMCSA data from 2021, the most common cause of fatal crashes was a semi-truck striking a passenger vehicle head-on (999 crashes, 36.9%), followed by passenger vehicles rear-ending large trucks (488 crashes, 18.0%).³
What’s the most common pre-crash event leading to a fatal semi-truck accident?
- The top pre-crash factor was another vehicle encroaching into the truck’s lane (2,053 fatal crashes, 36.0%), followed by another vehicle already in the truck’s lane (1,508 crashes, 26.5%) and the large truck’s own movement (1,171 crashes, 20.5%).
How many fatal semi-truck accidents are the truck driver’s fault?
- In 2021, at least one driver-related factor was recorded for 32% of fatal large truck crashes. The most common were speeding (397 cases), distraction or inattention (278 cases, including cell phone use, eating, or daydreaming), and careless driving (264 cases).
How many fatal semi-truck accidents are caused by drunk drivers?
- Based on data from the NHTSA, at least 4% of large-truck drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes had blood-alcohol concentrations over the state limit in 2023. The proportions are much higher for passenger cars, where 24% of passenger car drivers involved in fatal accidents were over the state limit.²
How many fatal semi-truck accidents are the truck’s fault?
- Based on FMCSA data from 2021, truck vehicle issues were recorded in only 238 fatal crashes (4.2%) with the most common factors being tire problems (66 cases) and brake system issues (52 cases).³
Fatal Semi-Truck Accidents by Cargo body Type
What’s the deadliest type of semi-truck?
- Based on MCMIS data, van/enclosed box trucks caused more fatal accidents than any other large truck type, with 2,070 vehicles involved in fatal accidents in 2024.¹
Sources
¹ FMCSA Crash Statistics Dashboard
https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/CrashStatistics
² NHTSA Crash Report
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813717
³ FMCSA: Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2021
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2021
