There are a large numbers of drivers out there who get nervous anytime they're sharing the road with an 18-wheeler. Given the devastation that an accident involving a commercial truck can cause, it's an understandable fear. However, it's also a fear without context. To get some sense of the danger posed by commercial trucks, we must ask: How many commercial truck accidents occur in the United States each year?

Answer: According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 168,731 accidents involving large trucks in the US in 2023. In those crashes, 4,970 fatalities and 71,2723 injuries were reported.

In this article we'll look more closely at those numbers and consider their implications for truck accident victims.

US Truck Accidents Breakdown

The most recent data on commercial truck accidents comes from 2023 and is reported by the FMCSA, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation. While 2023's statistics actually show some slight improvement over the years before it, they're still far from reassuring.

• As mentioned, in 2023 the US saw 168,731 wrecks involving large trucks on its roadways.
• Of those, 4,999 trucks were involved in fatal crashes that led to a total of 4,970 deaths.
• A further 53,073 non-fatal truck accidents caused injuries to an estimated 71,272 people.
• The overall number of large truck crashes is down from 2022's 183,909 accidents, which itself is a slight dip from 2021's 184,467.
• Texas continues to lead the nation in truck accidents, with more than 1.5 times as many as the next closest state (California).

It's important to emphasize that the FMCSA's statistics are based on crashes involving "large trucks," which are officially classified as trucks that weigh more than 10,000 pounds. Most passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, light pickups) weigh nowhere near that, but some larger medium-duty trucks like 3500-class pickups or box trucks often exceed that limit. That means the above statistics about "large trucks" almost entirely relate to commercial vehicles, but a small percentage may be crashes caused by large passenger vehicles.

The overall report is more comprehensive than the snapshot offered above, but the fact that commercial truck accidents claimed thousands of lives and affected so many others is chilling by itself. Now, admittedly, a large portion of truck accidents are not caused by truck drivers or their employers, but that still leaves a significant number that are.

What Does This Mean for Truck Accident Victims?

It may go without saying, but we'll say it anyway: tens of thousands of serious truck accidents across the nation create high potential for serious and even fatal injuries. In the aftermath, injured victims and families who lose loved ones are often confused about what to do or who to turn to.

That's when a knowledgeable and experienced truck accident lawyer can help navigate what is undoubtedly a complex legal situation. An attorney in your corner will conduct a careful investigation of the accident, negotiate with insurance and the trucking company, and build a clear and effective case to argue in front of a jury, among many other helpful services.

The attorneys at Grossman Law Offices have decades of experience helping truck accident victims and their families after major commercial crashes. If you were injured or lost a loved on in a commercial vehicle accident, call Grossman Law today for a free and confidential consultation.