It is a common question: How many truck accidents happen annually? How many semi-truck accidents per year? To answer, we can look to federal statistics.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”) is a branch of the Department of Transportation. The FMCSA compiles an annual report on “statistics about fatal, injury, and property-damage-only crashes involving large trucks and buses.” The last report to be released was in 2017.
The 2017 report concluded that there were 102,000 crashes with injuries involving tractor-trailers. There were 344,000 crashes with property damage only. A more detailed chart is listed below:
Injury Crashes | ||
| Collision with Vehicle in Transport | 83,000 | 81.4% |
| Collision with Fixed Object | 10,000 | 9.5% |
| Collision with Pedestrian | 1,000 | 0.9% |
| Overturn (Rollover) | 5,000 | 4.7% |
| Collision with Pedalcycle or Other Personal Conveyance | 1,000 | 0.7% |
| Collision with Parked Motor Vehicle | 1,000 | 1.0% |
| Collision with Train | * | * |
| Collision with Other Object | 1,000 | 0.6% |
| Collision with Animal | * | 0.4% |
| Explosion/Fire | * | 0.1% |
| Jackknife | * | 0.1% |
| Pavement Surface Irregularity | * | * |
| Cargo Equipment Loss or Shift | * | 0.1% |
| Other | * | 0.4% |
| Total Injury Crashes | 102,000 | 100.0% |
| Property Damage Only Crashes | ||
| Collision with Vehicle in Transport | 261,000 | 75.8% |
| Collision with Fixed Object | 42,000 | 12.4% |
| Collision with Pedestrian | * | * |
| Overturn (Rollover) | 7,000 | 2.0% |
| Collision with Pedalcycle or Other Personal Conveyance | * | * |
| Collision with Parked Motor Vehicle | 20,000 | 5.9% |
| Collision with Train | * | 0.1% |
| Collision with Other Object | 4,000 | 1.1% |
| Collision with Animal | 6,000 | 1.7% |
| Explosion/Fire | 1,000 | 0.2% |
| Jackknife | 2,000 | 0.4% |
| Pavement Surface Irregularity | * | * |
| Cargo Equipment Loss or Shift | 1,000 | 0.2% |
| Other | 1,000 | 0.3% |
| Total Property Damage Only Crashes | 344,000 | 100.0% |
These numbers may not be fully accurate as they are based, in large part, on publicly reported information to police. Therefore, the property damage claims, in particular, may be lower in this chart than actually occur.
If you’re involved in a truck accident, you will likely need a truck accident attorney. At Weatherby Law Firm, P.C., we defend truck companies. We also represent folks who are genuinely injured after an accident. By steeping ourselves in truck accidents, we are able to provide our plaintiff and defense clients with quality representation. Contact us for a free consultation.
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