A state-by-state breakdown of crashes involving large trucks
Canva
A state-by-state breakdown of crashes involving large trucks
A white semi truck lies on its side on the edge of a highway
In 2020, there were 54,272 fatal crashes reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Many of these crashes involved passenger vehicles—sedans, SUVs, or relatively small trucks; however, thousands of fatal crashes involved another type of vehicle: large trucks. In fact, large trucks—commercial and non-commercial trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds—were involved in almost 5,000 fatal crashes, or just under 9% of total fatal crashes, in 2020. Although the large truck category begins at 10,000 pounds, the majority of trucks involved in these crashes weighed more than 26,000 pounds.
And while that number may seem like a lot, it actually represents a 1% decline from the prior year. One potential reason for the decrease in fatal crashes involving large trucks is the pandemic, which caused a shift in the supply chain and consumer demand that may have put fewer large commercial trucks on the road.
But do certain states have more fatal large truck crashes than others? Walkup, Melodia, Kelly, & Schoenberger collected data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatal Analysis Reporting System to understand how many accidents in each state involved large trucks. Each state was ranked based on the number of accidents involving large trucks per 100,000 residents, using data from the FARS April 2020 Traffic Safety Facts report. Population size was drawn from U.S. Census state population totals. Click through for a look at how many crashes involving large trucks happened in each state in 2020.
JRJfin // Shutterstock
#51. District of Columbia
Exploded tire of semi truck on highway roadsid
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 2 (0.3 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 50 (4.0% involving a large truck)
Baloncici // Shutterstock
#50. Massachusetts
Fatal traffic accident with truck and trailer
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 28 (0.4 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 488 (5.7% involving a large truck)
cleanfotos // Shutterstock
#49. Hawaii
Cars line up on the freeway in Hawaii
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 6 (0.4 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 114 (5.3% involving a large truck)
JoanneStrell // Shutterstock
#48. New York
Overturned semi filled with garbage
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 116 (0.6 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1437 (8.1% involving a large truck)
Neil Pollock // Shutterstock
#47. New Jersey
Semi truck burning on a highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 54 (0.6 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 818 (6.6% involving a large truck)
Canva
#46. Vermont
Emergency workers gather at a crash site
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 4 (0.6 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 80 (5.0% involving a large truck)
IgorGolovniov // Shutterstock
#45. Rhode Island
Large truck with broken bumper
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 7 (0.6 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 93 (7.5% involving a large truck)
Kryuchka Yaroslav // Shutterstock
#44. Connecticut
Upside down trailer truck with semi-trailer on the side of the highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 25 (0.7 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 415 (6.0% involving a large truck)
Canva
#43. Michigan
The cab of a red semi truck is tipped over by the side of a road
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 74 (0.7 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1567 (4.7% involving a large truck)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
#42. Washington
White classic semi truck transporting cargo in refrigerated trailer on a road in Washington
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 60 (0.8 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 794 (7.6% involving a large truck)
Tynka // Shutterstock
#41. New Hampshire
Large truck lies in a side ditch after a road accident
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 11 (0.8 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 148 (7.4% involving a large truck)
Mikbiz // Shutterstock
#40. Delaware
Overturned truck semi-trailer with cargo spilling out
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 9 (0.9 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 162 (5.6% involving a large truck)
Canva
#39. Maryland
Semi-trailer truck crashed on a freeway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 57 (0.9 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 818 (7.0% involving a large truck)
mikeledray // Shutterstock
#38. California
Semi truck and cargo on its side on the freeway after an accident
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 384 (1.0 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 5268 (7.3% involving a large truck)
Lane V. Erickson // Shutterstock
#37. Nevada
Semi truck trailer rolled over on the side of a road
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 32 (1.0 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 451 (7.1% involving a large truck)
Canva
#36. Minnesota
Large truck leaning off side of road
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 59 (1.0 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 548 (10.8% involving a large truck)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
#35. Wisconsin
Collision scene with a semi truck with box trailer and a passenger car
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 63 (1.1 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 825 (7.6% involving a large truck)
Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle // Getty Images
#34. Pennsylvania
The scene of a fatal crash involving a tractor trailer and another vehicle
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 147 (1.1 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1597 (9.2% involving a large truck)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
#33. Utah
Long traffic jam of semi trucks
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 38 (1.2 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 397 (9.6% involving a large truck)
FIORENTINI MASSIMO // Shutterstock
#32. Ohio
Overturned truck on the side of the road
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 145 (1.2 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1766 (8.2% involving a large truck)
Steve Nehf // Getty Images
#31. Colorado
The Colorado State Patrol investigates a fatal accident involving a semi truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 74 (1.3 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 885 (8.4% involving a large truck)
Steve Jolicoeur // Shutterstock
#30. Virginia
Car crash burned after collision
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 113 (1.3 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1211 (9.3% involving a large truck)
Canva
#29. Illinois
A large semi truck drives along a highway at susnset
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 170 (1.3 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1673 (10.2% involving a large truck)
Jan Miko // Shutterstock
#28. Alaska
Large truck overturned in snow
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 10 (1.4 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 80 (12.5% involving a large truck)
Portland Press Herald // Getty Images
#27. Maine
Jackknifed tractor trailer on Maine Turnpike
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 20 (1.5 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 216 (9.3% involving a large truck)
ungvar // Shutterstock
#26. North Carolina
A view of the back of the wheels of a overturned truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 157 (1.5 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 2163 (7.3% involving a large truck)
TFoxFoto // Shutterstock
#25. Oregon
Large semi truck overturns on a freeway exit ramp
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 64 (1.5 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 688 (9.3% involving a large truck)
NikomMaelao Production // Shutterstock
#24. Arizona
Closeup of damaged 18 wheeler semi truck tires
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 111 (1.5 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1469 (7.6% involving a large truck)
Devin Schmidt // Shutterstock
#23. Florida
Semi truck on it’s side on the side of the road
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 351 (1.6 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 4846 (7.2% involving a large truck)
Canva
#22. West Virginia
Emergency workers at the scene of a crashed semi truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 34 (1.9 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 370 (9.2% involving a large truck)
Timofeev Vladimir // Shutterstock
#21. Missouri
A view of an overturned truck on an highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 125 (2.0 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1373 (9.1% involving a large truck)
thaloengsak // Shutterstock
#20. Iowa
Damaged truck tires
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 67 (2.1 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 467 (14.3% involving a large truck)
Canva
#19. Louisiana
A semi truck drives toward a sunset on an empty highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 98 (2.1 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1133 (8.6% involving a large truck)
AFP Contributor // Getty Images
#18. Texas
A big rig lies on it’s side on Hwy 59 near Edna, Texas
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 622 (2.1 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 5460 (11.4% involving a large truck)
Boriss Lonskis // Shutterstock
#17. Georgia
Close up of the wheels of a dump truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 230 (2.1 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 2387 (9.6% involving a large truck)
5m3photos // Shutterstock
#16. Indiana
18 wheeler semi truck at night on highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 148 (2.2 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1254 (11.8% involving a large truck)
Vineyard Perspective // Shutterstock
#15. North Dakota
Fifth wheel overturned on a highway with the underside torn up
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 18 (2.3 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 136 (13.2% involving a large truck)
Amelia Martin // Shutterstock
#14. South Carolina
A truckers warning sign about tipping hazards
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 119 (2.3 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1432 (8.3% involving a large truck)
UCG // Getty Images
#13. Kansas
Tow truck with crane lifting crashed Amazon truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 69 (2.4 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 578 (11.9% involving a large truck)
Kaentian Street // Shutterstock
#12. Oklahoma
Inside a car, sunny, with airbags and windshield cracks
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 94 (2.4 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 916 (10.3% involving a large truck)
Carolyn Franks // Shutterstock
#11. Tennessee
A squadron of eighteen-wheelers on an interstate highway in eastern Tennessee
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 165 (2.4 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1722 (9.6% involving a large truck)
Canva
#10. Montana
A red semi truck speeds along a highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 27 (2.5 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 243 (11.1% involving a large truck)
Reshetnikov_art // Shutterstock
#9. Kentucky
A truck is lying on its side after a car accident on the highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 114 (2.5 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1074 (10.6% involving a large truck)
light name // Shutterstock
#8. New Mexico
Damage closeup on white truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 56 (2.6 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 540 (10.4% involving a large truck)
Canva
#7. Idaho
Two semi trucks drive along a winding road through a forest
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 49 (2.7 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 300 (16.3% involving a large truck)
Martin Lisner // Shutterstock
#6. Nebraska
View of car after an accident with large truck in background
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 53 (2.7 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 333 (15.9% involving a large truck)
SKT Studio // Shutterstock
#5. South Dakota
Accident on a road involving black car and yellow truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 24 (2.7 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 191 (12.6% involving a large truck)
sezer66 // Shutterstock
#4. Alabama
Underside of an over turned truck on a sunny day
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 138 (2.7 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 1306 (10.6% involving a large truck)
Juris Teivans // Shutterstock
#3. Arkansas
Car after a collision with a heavy truck
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 84 (2.8 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 847 (9.9% involving a large truck)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
#2. Mississippi
Modern big rig blue semi truck with semi trailer driving on wet highway
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 84 (2.8 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 969 (8.7% involving a large truck)
Canva
#1. Wyoming
A semi truck passes in front of a mountain range at sunset
– Fatal crashes involving a large truck: 33 (5.7 per 100k people)
– Total fatal crashes: 174 (19.0% involving a large truck)
This story originally appeared on Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
