Texas is home to 5 of top 10 most dangerous counties for truck drivers

The study, conducted by personal injury lawyers at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers, analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to rank the top 10 counties in the U.S in which fatal car crashes involving large trucks occurred between 2017 to 2021. Reeves County in West Texas took the top spot as the most dangerous county for truck drivers with 56.5% of all fatal crashes involving a truck. This translates to a total of 39 out of 69 fatal crashes in Reeves County in which a large truck was involved, according to the study. 

“To alleviate traffic congestion and safety on U.S. 285, the county has proposed the Reeves County Truck Reliever Route, which would include a four-lane urban freeway with a frontage roads facility, closing the loop to encircle the Pecos CBD and surrounding areas,” the study reads. 

Howard County, which is situated a little north of Reeves County, sits as the fourth most dangerous county for Texas truck drivers with 43.6% of deadly crashes involving a large truck, meaning 24 out of 55 fatal crashes involved those trucks. 

Texas also takes the fifth position with Fayette County, as well as having Midland County and Erath County in seventh and eighth, respectively. Located in Central Texas between Austin and Houston, Fayette County saw 22 out of 52 fatal crashes between 2017 and 2021 involved a large truck, translating to 42.3%. 

In West Texas, Midland County had a rate of 36.3% of fatal accidents involving a large truck. Erath County in North Central Texas saw 18 out of 52 deadly crashes involve a truck driver. 

“This data is an important insight into road safety as it highlights the concentration of fatal crashes that involve large trucks in Texas and New Mexico. These states account for eight of the ten most dangerous counties,” attorney Jason Stone said in the study.  “Due to the size and weight of trucks, it is crucial for drivers to adhere to speed limits, traffic regulations, and be cautious in adverse weather conditions to minimize danger. Other vehicle drivers must also remain vigilant when encountering large trucks on the road to reduce the risk of an incident.”

According to a separate study using the same data and time frame that was done by personal injury experts at Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer H&P Law, Texas ranked seventh out of the 50 states for fatal crashes involving a police pursuit.

“The Lone Star State experienced the most vehicle crashes, with 17,549 crashes recorded between 2017 and 2021 – this figure is the second largest out of all 50 states,” the study reads.