Given their size and weight, accidents involving large trucks and busses can be more dangerous and cause significantly more damage than accidents involving two passenger vehicles.
Large vehicles like trucks and busses take longer to stop, longer to accelerate, need more room to move and turn, and have much larger blind spots. All of these can increase the severity and chances of an accident if things go wrong.
Accidents Involving Large Trucks & Busses
On average there are about 440,500 accidents each year on U.S. roadways involving large trucks or busses. Of those accidents:
- 344,381 result in property damage.
- 91,905 result in injuries.
- 4,280 result in death.
96% of deaths in accidents involving trucks or large busses are the occupants of passenger vehicles.
The majority of fatal truck accidents (over 70%) involve tractor-trailer trucks.
The most common places for fatal truck crashes to happen are on interstates and freeways and major roads.
Most fatal truck crashes happen during daylight hours (6 am – 3 pm), with a slightly higher percentage of fatal crashes occurring on the weekend.
Truck Accident Statistic: 1997 – 2017
| Year | Property Damage Crashes | Injury Crashes | Fatal Crashes |
| 1997 | 363,000 | 104,000 | 4,888 |
| 1998 | 341,000 | 98,000 | 4,857 |
| 1999 | 396,000 | 109,000 | 4,854 |
| 2000 | 378,000 | 108,000 | 4,881 |
| 2001 | 360,000 | 96,000 | 4,723 |
| 2002 | 366,000 | 102,000 | 4,486 |
| 2003 | 389,000 | 97,000 | 4,609 |
| 2004 | 349,000 | 95,000 | 4,734 |
| 2005 | 377,000 | 89,000 | 4,805 |
| 2006 | 324,000 | 87,000 | 4,643 |
| 2007 | 360,000 | 82,000 | 4,472 |
| 2008 | 342,000 | 74,000 | 3,994 |
| 2009 | 278,000 | 60,000 | 3,193 |
| 2010 | 247,000 | 67,000 | 3,512 |
| 2011 | 252,000 | 73,000 | 3,593 |
| 2012 | 282,000 | 85,000 | 3,726 |
| 2013 | 299,000 | 86,000 | 3,821 |
| 2014 | 379,000 | 93,000 | 3,656 |
| 2015 | 379,000 | 97,000 | 3,864 |
| 2016 | 380,000 | 112,000 | 4,116 |
| 2017 | 391,000 | 116,000 | 4,455 |
Source: FMCSA
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can be caused by both the truck drivers themselves and the drivers of passenger vehicles. Some common causes for crashes involving trucks include:
- Drug or alcohol use.
- Speeding.
- Not enough stopping distance.
- Fatigue.
Preventing Accidents with Large Trucks & Busses
Avoiding truck accidents, and accidents of any kind, are every driver’s responsibility.
There are some simple things all drivers can do to help prevent an accident with a truck:
- Never drink or use drugs and drive.
- If you’re too tired, pull over and rest or sleep.
- Never drive faster than what is safe for the current conditions.
- Always keep a safe following distance and avoid driving in other driver’s and trucker’s blind spots.
- Always check your own blind spots before changing lanes.
- Don’t drive distracted.