The number of people in the United States who were killed in large truck wrecks rose, higher and morbidly higher, between 2012 and 2021. Within a decade, the yearly death toll rose from 3,944 in 2012 to 5,788 in 2021.
That’s 5,788 people in one year, dead from collisions. Nearly 16 people per day.
The people killed in these accidents were parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, cherished friends. Many of them were children.
Sharing the road with large trucks is becoming increasingly dangerous. In fact, 43 of the 50 states saw an increase in annual truck wreck fatalities during that 10-year period, according to the Institute for Safer Trucking. Why? I will dive into the statistics and reasons behind them in this article.
The danger zone
In 2021, one-third of fatal work zone crashes involved a commercial motor vehicle, according to National Workzone Safety Information Clearinghouse. This source defines commercial motor vehicles as “large trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings of more than 10,000 pounds and buses.”
Work zones are notoriously dangerous for drivers. To discuss this, Scott Faultless joined me on an episode of my podcast, After the Crash. He is one of the founding partners at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC and an expert on large truck wrecks.
Scott shared with listeners that construction zones are some of the most dangerous stretches of road for motorists. These areas often have decreased speed limits, which, if ignored by semi-drivers, can lead to collisions. If drivers are distracted by their phones, hit their brakes too late, or can’t pull over to address mechanical issues, these zones can quickly turn deadly.
The heyday of e-commerce
Truck crash deaths rose almost 50% between 2012 and 2021. Beyond road construction and cell phone use, we can point to broader social changes to help explain this trend. In recent years, online shopping has become more accessible than ever. The promise of same- or next-day delivery entices buyers. We have seen an influx of trucks transporting packages with unprecedented urgency. I examined this trend more thoroughly in my book, Semitruck Wreck: A Guide for Victims and Their Families.
Figure 1: Data from NHTSA
Looking at the gradual rise in truck crash deaths between 2012 and 2021, we see a steady increase that begins in 2020. This is tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More people were shopping online, leading to an increased demand for shipping services. Trucking companies hired young, inexperienced drivers. Because there were fewer cars and less traffic on the roads, trucks drove faster. Higher speeds lead to more deadly wrecks.
Further, the Federal Motor Safety Administration relaxed some of the safety rules, such as hours of service, during the pandemic. If a trucker was delivering groceries, medical supplies and other items deemed critical, they could drive more hours without breaks. So, there were more tired drivers, which we know can increase the number of wrecks.
Not only were these drivers tired, but they were also under pressure to keep the country running during these tough times. All these factors increased speeding and distracted driving, even in bad weather. From that came more collisions and, in turn, more fatalities.
Large truck speed limiters
There is a piece of technology that has been around for decades, can be easily installed in semi-trucks, and is proven to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions: speed limiters. These devices make road travel safer for every person and vehicle, yet they still aren’t required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA).
When used in large trucks, speed limiters set a maximum operating speed. But in today’s competitive market, many companies prefer to cut corners and drive at high speeds. Deadly collisions are often the consequence. Data collected between 2009 and 2019 shows that there was a 50% increase in fatal truck crashes involving speeding during that period.
When combined with nationally rising speed limits, the FMSCA’s slow progress toward mandating the use of speed limiters is costly.
Minimum insurance for interstate motor carriers
Motor carriers involved in interstate commerce must have a minimum of $750,000 in insurance per crash event, Congress decided.
That was 44 years ago.
In the time since that ruling, medical bills and crash damages have become more expensive. When adjusted for medical-cost inflation, that $750,000 in 1980 surged to about $5 million in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While most trucks are insured for more than the minimum amount, the most dangerous companies often choose the lowest policies. Because insurance carriers have much less liability in those policies, the trucking companies get away with more unsafe behavior. When each party looks out only for itself and its financial gain, innocent people are endangered.
The cost of a $750,000 policy is low and makes up a small percentage of the trucking company’s operating expenses. Insurance is cheap, so there is no incentive for improvement for trucking companies that put profits ahead of safety.
Many of the trucks on the road are safe, which keeps insurance rates low. The bad companies can afford the minimum coverage. When they have a wreck, they change their names and get back on the roads, still as dangerous as before. These are called chameleon carriers. Our law firm has seen this happen multiple times.
The Institute for Safer Trucking, the American Association for Justice, and many other organizations are calling for an increase in minimum insurance requirements to $5 million for interstate motor carriers. With that update, large truck wrecks would occur less frequently, and insurance could cover the costs when and if they did.
By the numbers: Best and worst states for truck collisions
The five states with the largest increases in fatalities caused by truck wrecks are:
- Utah
- Idaho
- Montana
- Nevada
- Oregon
Because the five most dangerous states — all of which had increases of 200% or more from 2012 to 2021 — are connected, it’s possible that geography is the main factor. In the western United States, roads wind through mountains, hills and vast stretches of desert. Inadequately trained, fatigued or distracted truck drivers may not be capable of safely navigating that terrain.
Some states displayed a decrease in the number of truck-related deaths:
- North Dakota
- Maryland
- Wyoming
- Rhode Island
- Pennsylvania
Two states — South Dakota and West Virginia — saw no change in that 10-year period.
Texas, the second-largest state by area and population, had the most large-truck related deaths with 806 in 2021, a 41% increase from its 573 deaths in 2012. On the other end of the spectrum is Rhode Island, the smallest state by area. Only three people died in Rhode Island truck wrecks in 2021, which was one fewer than in 2012.
At Craig, Kelley & Faultless, we have lawyers licensed in Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. We regularly handle personal injury and wrongful death cases that arise from car accidents involving semi tractor-trailers, dump trucks, and other commercial motor vehicles. Let’s look at how these states rank by number of deaths.
- Ohio, 220 deaths
- Illinois, 180 deaths
- Indiana, 167 deaths
- Missouri, 137 deaths
- Kentucky, 128 deaths
- Iowa, 67 deaths
We’ll delve into more detail on these states in upcoming articles.
What do I do if I’m in a truck wreck?
If you or someone you know is a victim of a negligent semi or large truck driver, reach out to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. At Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC, we handle large truck wrecks and have attorneys who are board-certified in commercial truck accident law.
We are licensed to represent clients in Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. Call us today at (317) 434-3520 or through our website for a free case consultation.
David W. Craig sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
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