Big rigs pull out of farms and ranches in California’s agricultural regions day and night. Trucks leave processing and manufacturing centers throughout California each morning.
Truck drivers work long hours to keep California’s products moving across and out of the state. These big rig operators also try to stay as safe as possible when using California roads. But the heavy payloads they carry and the massive space they take up can endanger the occupants of other cars and SUVs. Any small mistake can lead to major accidents and life-threatening injuries.
Maison Law of California authorized a comprehensive look at recent truck accident statistics in California and the U.S. It’s a way to highlight the dangers on California roadways that, sadly, continued in 2025. We hope that a reminder of these sometimes shocking California big rig accident numbers can encourage all motorists to exercise more caution for the rest of 2025 and beyond.
National Big Rig Accident Statistics
Nationally, accidents involving large semi-trucks, tankers, and produce trucks take thousands of lives and injure hundreds of thousands of travelers.
The figures in the chart below were provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The department defines large trucks as any truck with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds. Both commercial and non-commercial vehicles are included. The data also includes accidents involving buses on U.S. roads.
In 2024, there were 170,745 big rig collisions involving some level of injury. Those accidents claimed at least 4,822 lives.
California Truck Accidents with Injuries and Fatalities
Over the past five years, California’s large truck crash cases have gone up and down, with a downward trend noticed recently. The figures are still consistently high with predictably devastating consequences.
The FMCSA also tracks data on truck and bus accidents for each state. Their data shows that big rigs remain a major threat to California motorists. California recorded 12,482* accidents involving trucks and buses that resulted in injuries. Those collisions led to at least 337 fatalities. In 2023, there were 13,149 accidents involving injury, with 427 deaths reported.
(*It should be noted that 2024’s accident totals will likely rise as more data is turned in by law enforcement. 2024 numbers show where the totals stand as of May 2025.)
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), California ranked second in fatalities resulting from large truck crashes in 2023.
- Texas – 730 deaths
- California – 392 deaths
- Florida – 341 deaths
NSC researchers found that in most cases, it was the victims in smaller cars, SUVs, pickups, and motorcycles who suffered the most life-threatening injuries. Truck drivers are more protected in their bigger, stronger semi-trucks and in many cases remain unharmed even in major impacts.
The statistics for big rig collision fatalities include a category for “non-occupant victims.” This represents anyone not in a vehicle involved in a large vehicle crash. That would include the devastating consequences of a big rig striking a pedestrian or cyclist.
California is one of the few states that regulates the speeds of big rigs on all roads. It’s the law that truck drivers on any California boulevard, freeway, or highway may go no faster than 55mph. This is true no matter what the posted speed limit is for other motorists. It’s a mandate intended to reduce California big rig accidents, but there are still far too many lives put at risk by careless and reckless truck driving.
Truck Accident Dangers in California’s Biggest Cities
Los Angeles is a city notorious for accidents, and they occur almost hourly on the worst days. It’s no surprise that the city and county lead all of California in frightening big rig crashes.
California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) tracks these accidents all year long. They recorded over 2,300 injuries caused by semi-truck impacts in Los Angeles County in 2024.
TIMS data tells the story of how much truck accident levels jumped in a year. 2024 accident numbers show that truck accidents are on the rise again in California’s most populous county. The county saw a shocking 1,731 truck accidents involving injury for the year. That was accompanied by 44 tragic deaths.
San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View make Santa Clara County one of the most industrious places in the country. Innovations are shipped out on Interstate 280 and Highway 101 year-round.
A thriving economy means more drivers are more likely to see tractor-trailers walling off lanes during rush hour. TIMS noted a rising level of truck accidents involving injury or a tragic fatality in cities like San Jose and Milpitas. Researchers documented over 141 truck collisions involving injuries in Santa Clara County in 2024.
Fresno is in the heart of the Central Valley, where agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Travelers on Highway 99 and other rural roads in Fresno County are used to seeing livestock trucks, produce haulers, and every other manner of big rig.
TIMS revealed that the county recorded at least 221 truck accidents involving injury in 2024. Those accidents led to at least 17 deaths and 291 injuries.
Hope for a Safer 2025 on California Freeways
With the discouraging statistics released by traffic analysts in recent years, it’s critical that every motorist, not just truck drivers, commits to safer behavior on California roads. This is one of the few changes that will make a real difference in the tragic accident numbers tallied across our state and within our cities each year.
If you or a loved one becomes the victim of a truck driver’s carelessness, don’t wait to seek legal help. Take advantage of a free consultation with a California Truck Accident Lawyer to find out what your injuries may be worth. Maison Law works with big rig accident victims to make sure drivers and their employers provide support to the victims of the accidents they cause.
