Texas Truck Accident Statistics

Texas has a high number of traffic accidents each year involving tractor-trailers, semi-trailers, and other commercial trucks. Most truck crashes occur on highways and interstates in Texas. The deadliest section of highway in Texas was I-69C on an accidents-per-mile basis.

Tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles are often the largest vehicles on the road. Any accident involving one could potentially be catastrophic for the occupants of the smaller vehicle. Unfortunately, a high number of commercial vehicle accidents happen every year in Texas. Here, to help you gain perspective about a crash that may have affected your life, we present this review of Texas truck accident statistics.

If you suffered serious injuries, or if your loved one was killed in a truck accident in Texas, you should immediately seek legal representation. Contact us at Fleming Law today. We can review your case in a free consultation.

Most Dangerous Highways in Texas

A significant percentage of tractor-trailer crashes in Texas occur on highways and interstates rather than on city streets. So, it may be helpful to know where these crashes are most likely to occur.

In fact, Texas Monthly reported on a study that found that 62 percent of all accidents occur on Texas highways and interstates. On a per-mile basis, the deadliest stretch of highway in Texas was Interstate 69C (I-69C) between Farm to Market 2812 (FM 2812) and Monte Cristo Road in south Texas, where 12 deaths occurred in seven fatal crashes between 2013 and 2015, according to the study.

Additionally, the study found several deadly stretches of highway in Houston:

• Interstate 45 (I-45)
• Farm to Market 1960 (FM 1960)
• U.S. Route 290 (US 290)
• Interstate 10 (I-10)
• Interstate 610 (I-610)
• U.S. Route 59 (US 59)
• Interstate 69 (I-69)
• Texas State Highway 6 (SH 6)
• Farm to Market 1093 (FM 1093)
• Texas State Highway 288 (SH 288)
• Texas State Highway Beltway 8 (BW8)
• Texas State Highway 249 (SH 249)
• Veterans Memorial Drive.

Deadly stretches of highway in San Antonio included:

• Interstate 10 (I-10)
• Texas State Highway Loop 1604 (Loop 1604 or the Charles W. Anderson Loop)
• Farm to Market 2252 (FM 2252)
• Interstate 35 (I-35)
• Interstate 410 (I-410)
• U.S. Route 90 (US 90)
• Texas State Highway Loop 13 (Military Drive)
• Culebra Road.

Deadly stretches of highway in Dallas include:

• Interstate 35 (I-35)
• U.S. Route 175 (US 175)
• Interstate 30 (I-30)
• Interstate 20 (I-20)
• Texas State Highway 360 (SH 360)
• Texas State Highway 183 (SH 183)
• U.S. Route 75 (US 75)
• Interstate 635 (I-635),
• Texas State Highway Loop 12 (Loop 12).

In 2018, ValuePenguin, a personal finance website that performs research and analysis on different topics, ranked the 50 most dangerous highways in the United States, using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (NHTSA-FARS) between 2010 and 2016. Unfortunately, many highways in Texas made the list, including:

• I-10 in Harris County (fifth most dangerous highway in the country with 585 fatal crashes causing 676 fatalities)
• I-20 in Dallas County (sixth with 490 fatal crashes causing 594 fatalities)
• I-35 in Dallas County (20th with 590 fatal crashes causing 644 fatalities)
• US-59 in Harris County (23rd with 318 fatal crashes causing 390 fatalities.
• SR-105 in Montgomery County (25th with 72 fatal crashes causing 91 fatalities)
• US-82 in Grayson County (26th with 122 fatal crashes causing 157 fatalities)
• US-385 in Ector County (34th with 91 fatal crashes causing 116 fatalities)
• US-290 in Harris County (35th with 167 fatal crashes causing 212 fatalities)
• US-175 in Dallas County (42nd with 74 fatal crashes causing 89 fatalities)
• US-83 in Starr County (45th with 164 fatal crashes causing 202 fatalities)
• I-40 in Potter County (50th with 65 fatal crashes causing 84 fatalities).

Semi-Truck Collisions on Texas Roadways

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), statewide fatal crashes in Texas in 2017 involved:

• 126 trucks
• 433 truck tractors or semi-trailers
• 5 fire trucks
• 17 buses
• 8 school buses.

TxDOT also reports that suspected serious injury crashes in Texas in 2017 involved:

• 585 truck
• 879 truck tractors or semi-trailers
• 5 fire trucks
• 60 buses
• 29 school buses.

According to the Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts annual report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 649 fatalities occurred in Texas crashes involving large trucks in 2017. The 649 deaths were the highest total of any year during the period dating to 2007. Additionally, the 556 fatal crashes, 103 single-vehicle fatal crashes, and 453 multiple-vehicle crashes involving large trucks in Texas in 2017 were all the most of any state in the country. The estimated state population of 28,304,596 in the LTBCF translated to 19.64 fatal crashes involving large trucks per million people. This was an increase from the rate of 13.88 in 2010 when Texas had a population that was three million less people.

According to the FMCSA, driver-related factors play a role in a high percentage of large truck accidents in Texas and throughout the country. In 2017, the ten leading driver-related factors recorded in fatal crashes were:

• Speeding of any kind (299 crashes)
• Distraction / inattention (cell phone use, eating, lost in thought) (263)
• Failure to yield the right of way (208)
• Impairment (fatigue, alcohol, illness) (184)
• Careless driving (183)
• Vision obscured (by weather, road design, vehicles) (167)
• Failure to keep in proper lane (136)
• Failure to obey traffic signs, control devices, or officers (125)
• Following improperly (95)
• Overcorrecting (77).

Get Help from a Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If a driver-related factor caused an accident that harmed you or a loved one, you have every right to hold that driver and the driver’s employer accountable. You should seek help from an experienced truck accident attorney at Fleming Law who can begin an immediate investigation, including:

• Making sure critical evidence is preserved and collected
• Interviewing eyewitnesses
• Subpoenaing maintenance records, safety records, black box data, driver logs, and other information
• Examining crash reports and evidence taken from the scene.

Most importantly, our lawyers will go to trial, if necessary, in order to pursue the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries and losses. To learn more about how we can help you, call or reach us online today for a free consultation.

Brendan Fleming

Brendan received his JD from South Texas College of Law and his MBA from Baylor University. He then began his legal career as in-house counsel for a publicly-traded company, advising on matters such as mergers and acquisitions, securities, compliance, and general corporate transactions. He then worked at a national law firm in which he represented commercial banks, private equity firms, and business owners in complex transactions before joining Fleming Law, Brendan uses his considerable knowledge of business-related matters by working on cases involving business law, real estate law, and contracts. Connect with me on LinkedIn