North Carolina Truck Accident Statistics [2024 Updated]

Given its location on the nation’s logistically significant Eastern Seaboard, it’s no wonder that North Carolina sees its share of truck and commercial vehicle accidents. In fact, North Carolina is one of the worst states in the nation for truck accidents after top offenders like Texas and California, with some 6,000 or 7,000 commercial vehicle crashes each year (depending on how you collect the data). Knowing some key North Carolina truck accident statistics can be helpful in highlighting awareness when traveling.

Our nation’s infrastructure relies heavily on motor vehicles like cars and trucks for both personal transportation and the interstate shipping of products and equipment, making various unfortunate traffic accidents inevitable. North Carolina’s busy highways are no exception to this reality. Common sense, concentration, and defensive driving can all help you protect yourself and other motorists from these dangers, but it is also important to confront the reality of crash statistics.

There are some important factors to keep in mind regarding the nature of traffic data. Due to the complexity of this type of data and the labor involved in acquiring, compiling, and publishing it, the most recent complete data is often several years old by the time it reaches the public. For that reason, the following information will largely rely on data going back to 2022 or 2023.

Key North Carolina Truck Accident Statistics

• On a national level, there are between 150,000 and 200,000 truck accidents every year. One-third of these accidents will result in some sort of injury to at least one party involved. Tragically, around 3% of these accidents will be fatal.
• According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the total number of truck (and bus) crashes throughout the State of North Carolina has remained fairly steady over the past several years, hovering around the 7,250 to 7,500 range. 2023 did see a notable reduction in total incidents, however, dropping down below the 7k mark to 6,879. It remains to be seen if this positive trend will hold for 2024.
• Truck and commercial vehicle accidents are responsible for over 2,500 injuries per year in North Carolina.
• Fatal truck crashes in the state have also been quite consistent over the past few years, with almost exactly 150 fatal truck and bus crashes every year.
• According to the FMCSA, these 150 crashes resulted in just under 170 total fatalities each year. This slightly contradicts the data from the National Safety Council, which attributes closer to 180 annual North Carolina deaths to large trucks. This should not call into question the reputation of either agency but merely highlights the fact that data can be quite different from source to source, depending on how exactly it is collected, sorted, and interpreted.
• The breakdown of victims in fatal truck accidents in North Carolina is largely in line with national averages. 22% of fatalities are the occupants of commercial trucks themselves, 68% of victims are the occupants of other vehicles, and the remaining 10% of North Carolina truck accident fatalities are accounted for by “non-occupants,” such as pedestrians or loading dock workers.
• Only around 2% of fatal truck crashes involve the use of alcohol.
• There are millions of total automotive accidents in the United States each year, but only around 3% of them involve a large commercial vehicle. Despite accidents being relatively rare, the massive weight of these vehicles and their cargos can lead to some of the most serious and devastating accident scenes on North Carolina roadways.

FAQs

Q: What Are Some of the Reasons for Truck Accidents in NC?

A: Some of the reasons for truck accidents in North Carolina are distracted driving, fatigued drivers, drunk driving, low visibility, overloaded trailers, reckless driving, lack of truck maintenance, and trucking company quotas. Different parties may be found at fault in trucking accidents, such as the driver, the trucking company, the manufacturer of truck parts, or other drivers on the road.

Q: What State Has the Most 18-Wheeler Accidents?

A: Texas has the most 18-wheeler accidents, with just under 20,000 trucking accidents reported every year in the state. It also leads the nation in truck-related deaths, with about 800 annually. California comes in behind Texas with around 13,000 annual truck crashes, and Florida is third with just under 10,000.

Q: How Common Are Trucking Accidents?

A: Trucking accidents are relatively rare compared to other types of motor vehicle accidents. In fact, large commercial trucks are only involved in a small percentage of total roadway crashes. When trucking accidents do occur, however, they can cause extreme damage and severe injuries due to the weight and incredible inertia of a fully loaded semi rig.

Q: What Is the Most Frequent Type of Vehicle Accident in the Trucking Industry?

A: Rear-end collisions are considered one of the most frequent types of vehicle accidents in the trucking industry, commonly caused by a distracted or exhausted driver bumping into the vehicle ahead of them. It is important to remember, however, that different agencies collect and interpret data in different ways, so there may be multiple answers to this question depending on someone’s perspective and data sources.

Tatum Law Firm, PLLC – Helping North Carolinians Fight for Justice in the Aftermath of Trucking Accidents

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a collision with a truck, bus, or other commercial vehicle on a North Carolina roadway, you may be entitled to significant compensation. The talented team at Tatum Law Firm of Charlotte is ready to help you fight for justice and for a substantial settlement package that gives you the resources you need to heal from your injury and support your family.

If you are interested in learning more about how our truck accident lawyers can help you through this challenging situation, please contact our offices, and we will get the process started by scheduling a no-pressure consultation. When you are ready to fight back against the parties that harmed you, we are ready to assist with swift, cost-effective legal strategies.