^A large truck is defined as a truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 10,000 pounds.
Truck Accident Statistics
Truck Crashes - Semi Trucks Crashes
In 2015, large trucks were involved in:
415,000 police-reported crashes
4,050 fatal crashes
87,000 crashes causing injuries
342,000 crashes causing property damage
People died in large truck crashes in 2015:
16% of these deaths were truck occupants.
69% were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles.
15% were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists.
The circumstances of large truck crashes
The vast majority of fatal crashes (83 percent) and nonfatal crashes (89 percent) involving large trucks occurred on weekdays.
Approximately 60 percent of all fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred on rural roads.
Approximately 25 percent of all fatal crashes involving large trucks occurred on rural or urban Interstate highways.
Leading causes of semi-truck accidents in the U.S.:
26% caused by prescription drug use
23% caused by traveling too fast
17% caused by over-the-counter drugs
13% caused by fatigue
8% caused by alcohol
3% caused by illegal drug use
Large Trucks in Fatal Crashes by Most Harmful Event
Most Harmful Event | ||
Number | Percent | |
Collision with Vehicle in Transport | 3,033 | 74.9% |
Collision with Fixed Object | 162 | 4.0% |
Collision with Pedestrian | 296 | 7.3% |
Overturn (Rollover) | 272 | 6.7% |
Collision with Pedalcycle or Other Personal Conveyance | 63 | 1.6% |
Collision with Parked Motor Vehicle | 19 | 0.5% |
Collision with Train | 4 | 0.1% |
Collision with Other Object | 60 | 1.5% |
Collision with Animal | 1 | * |
Jackknife | 3 | 0.1% |
Explosion/Fire | 110 | 2.7% |
Cargo/Equipment Loss or Shift | 6 | 0.1% |
Other | 20 | 0.5% |
Unknown | 1 | * |
Total | 4,050 | 100.0% |
*Less than 500 or less than 0.05 percent.