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Commercial Vehicle Accidents in Texas
In 2024, 5,340 people died in large truck crashes nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The number of large truck crash deaths has risen 23 percent since 2009, underscoring how dangerous these vehicles can be in a collision.
TEXAS LEADS THE NATION IN LARGE TRUCK FATALITIES.
Large trucks play a key role in North Texas's economy. They can also cause serious harm in a traffic crash. As the nation’s second-largest state and one of its most populous, Texas frequently ranks in the top three states for large truck accidents. In 2024, Texas had the most deaths resulting from large truck crashes, at 720, which is 45 percent more than California, which saw the second most fatalities.
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Highways remain America’s most dangerous method of travel. Roadway deaths account for 94 percent of all transportation deaths annually, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) play an impactful role in these statistics.
Fatal and Injury Truck Accidents in North Texas
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is one of Texas’s top locations for large truck crashes. Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, and Austin also experience high concentrations of these crash types. In 2024, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) recorded the following commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash statistics in North Texas:
- Dallas County: 29 deaths, 124 serious injuries, and 1,459 mild or moderate injuries.
- Tarrant County: 19 deaths, 63 serious injuries, and 672 mild or moderate injuries.
- Collin County: 11 truck crash deaths, 29 serious injuries, and 192 mild or moderate
injuries. - Denton County: 8 deaths, 38 serious injuries, and 243 mild or moderate injuries.
How North Texas Compares to Texas and the United States in Commercial Truck Crashes
In 2025, 16,577 large truck crashes occurred in Texas, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
These included 490 fatal crashes, claiming a total of 547 lives. Another 9,791 people were injured in large truck crashes in Texas that year.
Texas has the largest number of commercial vehicle fatalities, but it doesn’t have the largest percentage of trucks involved in large crashes nationwide. Several states, including Wyoming, New Mexico, and North Dakota, see a larger percentage of
truck crashes each year than Texas does. However, Texas regularly ranks first in the nation for the number of deaths in large truck crashes each year.
In 2024, Texas recorded 4,150 roadway deaths and 18,218 serious injuries. Another 251,977 people suffered mild or moderate injuries in roadway collisions. Slightly over half (50.12 percent) of fatal crashes occurred in rural areas, with the rest occurring in urban areas like Dallas and Denton County.
According to statistics from TXDOT and the National Safety Council, approximately 32 percent of all large truck accidents nationwide occur in Texas. However, Texas sees only 10 percent of fatal accidents.
Causes of North Texas Large Truck Crashes
A fully-loaded tractor-trailer may weigh twenty to thirty times more than a passenger car. Large trucks are also taller than passenger cars and often have higher ground clearance. These factors combine to make collisions with large trucks particularly dangerous for those in passenger vehicles.
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Speeding
Speeding occurs when a vehicle drives faster than the speed limit, drives too fast for conditions, or both. Speed increases the force of impact in a crash. High speeds cause more damage, making injuries more severe and increasing the risk of death.
A study in the Open Transportation Journal found that exceeding the posted speed limit increased the risk of both injury and death in large truck crashes. Researchers also found that the risk of injury and death was higher when the posted speed limit was high.
Speeding is also dangerous because it impairs a truck’s ability to stop. A loaded tractor-trailer needs 20 to 40 percent more space to stop. On a wet or slippery road, or with poorly-maintained brakes, the distance grows even longer.
Improper Driving
Failing to obey the posted speed limit is just one example of a truck driver failing to follow the law. Other serious risks include distracted driving, drifting out of lanes, and failing to follow the rules of the road. These failures contribute to a higher risk of both injury and death in a collision.
Distracted driving remains a serious problem. In 2024, 380 people died in distracted driving crashes in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Large truck drivers may become distracted when checking maps or directions, dealing with truck problems, answering phone calls from dispatchers, or noticing road conditions. In a large truck, distraction can quickly turn to destruction.
Drunk, Drugged, or Drowsy Driving
Driving drunk or under the influence of drugs impairs a person’s ability to drive safely, no matter the vehicle. While the percentage of impaired truck drivers has decreased steadily since the 1980s, the risk remains high. In 2023, 32 drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the 0.08 percent legal limit died in truck collisions. Approximately 5,600 passenger vehicle occupants died in these collisions as well.
Truck driver fatigue also contributes to crashes. Federal hours of service (HOS) regulations allow drivers to drive up to 11 hours at a time. Delays at loading docks, pressure from trucking companies, and other factors can, however, lead drivers to work longer than HOS regulations permit. When drivers are tired, the risk of a crash increases.
It’s easy to assume drivers traveling at night are more sleepy than those driving in the daytime. However, US statistics from 2023 show that fatal large truck crashes were most common during daylight hours - from 6:00 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon. Nearly half (47 percent) of all commercial truck crash deaths in 2023 occurred in this nine-hour window. Another 15 percent of crashes occurred between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m.
Equipment Malfunctions
Owners of passenger vehicles often know when their vehicle was serviced last and what its major problems are, because they’re the ones who do the work or take the vehicle to a shop. Large truck drivers don’t always have the same knowledge about their trucks. A professional driver may be assigned a tractor randomly when arriving at work. Many drivers transport “no- touch” freight, which means the driver never handles the cargo. Instead, both truck maintenance and cargo loading are handled by specialized teams.
This division of labor helps drivers focus on the road. Yet it can also result in hidden defects, mis-loaded cargo, and other issues. The driver may not know there’s a problem until it is too late to prevent an accident.
Truck Accidents in Texas Work Zones
Work Zone Fatalities
Between 2014 and 2023, 4.7 percent of all Texas roadway deaths took place in work zones. Work zone deaths have been increasing since 2018.
Navigation Difficulties
Work zones can be especially dangerous when large trucks are involved. Trucks may have trouble navigating the tight lanes of a work zone. If a large truck collides with equipment or other trucks in the work zone, serious injuries or death can result.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents
Construction zones can also increase the risk of a vehicle pile-up involving multiple large trucks. When more than one commercial truck is involved in a collision, the risk of death increases sharply. In 2023, 64 percent of large truck crash deaths occurred in collisions involving two or more commercial trucks.
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Common Types of Large Truck Crashes in Dallas and Denton County
All types of commercial trucks can cause serious injuries in a crash. Typically, the larger and heavier a truck is, the more likely it is to cause severe harm.
All types of commercial trucks can cause serious injuries in a crash. Typically, the larger and heavier a truck is, the more likely it is to cause severe harm. In 2023, 73 percent of fatal truck crashes involved a tractor-trailer. Single-unit trucks were involved in 27 percent of deadly collisions. In 2024:
- Tractor-trailer units were involved in 430 deadly collisions statewide.
- Straight trucks were involved in 158 deadly collisions statewide.
Other commercial vehicles were also involved in fatal injury crashes in Texas in 2024. These included commercial vans (158 crashes), buses (10 crashes), school buses (6 crashes), and farm equipment (3 crashes).
Common contributing factors in large truck crashes include:
- Driver fatigue and Hours of Service (HOS) violations, or driving longer than regulations allow
- Loss of control of the truck due to a tire blowout, brake failure, improperly loaded cargo, delayed or neglected truck maintenance, or hidden defects in truck parts.
- Improper driving such as speeding, trying to steer too hard to avoid a crash (often resulting in a jackknifed trailer), or taking a corner too fast.
- Medical issues, distraction, or drunk driving, which can cause a truck to swerve or even run off the road.
- Trucking companies that don’t adequately screen or train drivers or that push drivers to violate HOS and other regulations.
- Non-functioning lights, turn signals, or mirrors.
- Defects or problems with the coupling that hooks a trailer and tractor together.
- Speeding, swerving, or other actions by other drivers on the road; a truck driver may make an emergency maneuver to avoid one collision, only to cause another.
Truck crashes can quickly become complex. In many cases, the driver does everything possible to prevent the crash but cannot succeed. Trucking companies, truck maintenance and repair teams, cargo teams, and others on the road all play a role in keeping trucks safe. When any of these parties fails to use reasonable care, serious injuries can result.
Most Dangerous North Texas Roadways and Intersections for Truck Crashes
Nationwide, deadly truck crashes are more common on US highways and other major roads than on interstate freeways. In 2023, 51 percent of deadly large truck collisions occurred on US highways and “other major roads,” while 34 percent occurred on interstate freeways and 15 percent occurred on local roads.
Texas follows the national trend. A study of Texas large truck collisions found that “most of the severe crash hotspot locations were not located on the major highways.” 26 In the Dallas area, for example, hotspot locations appeared on surface streets that parallel US-45 and US-77 - but these hotspots did not appear on the US routes themselves. Only a few hotspots appeared on major routes, mostly I-30.
US-77
This does not mean, however, that major routes aren’t the site of serious truck crashes. US-77 saw dozens of accidents involving large trucks in 2025. These crashes were also common along State Highway 121 (S TX-121), I-35E, I-20, I-45, and the LBJ Freeway loop. US-75 (Central Expressway) also saw collisions involving large trucks in 2025.
Commerce Street
Large truck collisions can also occur on local city streets. In the first six weeks of 2026, four such collisions had occurred in the city of Dallas. They included two truck crashes on Commerce Street - one at the intersection of Commerce and Ervay and one at the intersection with South Field Street. Two truck crashes had also occurred on South Griffin Street; one happened at the intersection with Elm Street, while the other occurred on Griffin between Jackson and Wood Streets.
Common Injuries in North Texas Truck Accidents
When a large truck collides with a passenger vehicle, the occupants of the passenger vehicle are more likely to suffer serious injury or death. In 2023, only 16 percent of fatal large truck crashes resulted in the driver’s death, according to IIHS. In 65 percent of deadly crashes, one or more occupants of a passenger vehicle died; in 17 percent, a motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian suffered fatal injuries.
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Serious Injuries
Those who survive a collision with a large truck often find their health permanently changed. Serious injuries can completely alter the course of a person’s life. The forces involved in large truck crashes can do severe damage to any part of the body. Many people who endure a large truck crash experience multiple serious injuries, which impair several body systems.
Traumatic brain injuries
This category, also known as “TBI,” includes concussions and closed head injuries. It also includes injuries in which an object pierces the skull, damaging the brain. Traumatic brain injuries can permanently alter the way a person thinks, feels, and functions in daily life.
Spinal cord injuries
The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body. Damage to the spinal cord can cause a wide range of issues, depending on where the damage occurs and how severe it is. A severed spinal cord results in paralysis below the injury site. Less severe damage can cause lifelong problems with mobility, sensation, and bodily control.
Neck and back injuries
The bones of the spine protect the spinal cord. Cushions of cartilage and other tissues sit between these bones to allow for both protection and movement. The body’s deep muscles support the bones of the neck and back. Damage to muscles, discs, and bones can cause lifelong issues with pain and mobility, limiting an injured person’s ability to do basic tasks.
Broken bones
Severe bone breaks often require surgery to set the bone and ensure it heals. When healing is delayed or problems with implanted hardware arise, an injured person may need additional surgeries. Chronic pain, issues with mobility and function, and scarring often result.
Burn injuries and scarring
Fires, explosions, electrocution, or exposure to dangerous chemicals can all occur during a truck crash. Burns can be extremely painful to treat. They also may result in lifelong scarring and problems with movement.
Psychological injuries
A severe truck crash is a life-threatening event that you may feel powerless to avoid. Many people experience post-traumatic stress symptoms after a crash for this reason. Depression, anxiety, mood changes, difficulty with memory or attention, grief, and complex feelings about the crash and its aftermath are common as well.
Medical care after a crash can be complex. Often, an injured person has several types of injuries, which medical teams must address together. Some injuries aren’t immediately obvious in the aftermath of a crash; symptoms may not set in for several hours or days. Other injuries cannot be fully cured. Their consequences are permanent.
After these serious injuries, an injured person must rebuild their lives - often from scratch. When an injured person loses a loved one in the same crash, the rebuilding process is even more difficult and painful. An experienced attorney can handle your legal rights and compensation, allowing you to focus on what’s ahead.
Injured in a North Texas Truck Crash? Contact a Knowledgeable Truck Accident Lawyer Today
A large truck crash turns your life upside-down. Instead of handling work tasks, helping your family, and building your future, you’re stuck dealing with serious injuries. Bills pile up, and you may worry about the future. If you lost a loved one in the crash, you may deal with difficult emotions, including grief, anger, or hopelessness.
You don’t have to get through this alone. Whether you’re struggling with serious injuries, facing the loss of a loved one, or both, an experienced North Texas truck accident lawyer can be your ally. Your attorney can help you deal with insurance companies, investigate the crash, and fight for the full, fair compensation your family needs.
To learn more, contact Chandler Ross PLLC. Our dedicated North Texas truck crash injury lawyers can help you understand your options. We’re dedicated to protecting our clients’ legal rights. Contact our office today to schedule a free, confidential consultation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys.
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Chandler | Ross, Injury Attorneys is a personal injury law firm representing people throughout Denton, Dallas, and the North Texas area. Contact us today for a FREE, NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.
Data Sources for This North Texas Truck Accident Report
Data in this report comes from the City of Dallas, the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS), Traffic Crash Facts reports, and Crashes and Injuries by City and County reports.