Truck accident statistics for Orange County, California (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Orange County by year

Truck accident deaths fell from 9 in 2020 to 8 in 2021, rose to 13 in 2022, fell to 8 in 2023 and rose to 11 in 2024. The highest count was 13 in 2022; the lowest count, 8, occurred in both 2021 and 2023. The 2024 count was 2 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The share of all traffic deaths attributed to truck accidents was 4.7% in 2020, 3.5% in 2021, 5.2% in 2022, 3.5% in 2023 and 5.5% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 193, 230, 250, 231 and 199 in those respective years. The highest truck accident death count and highest share occurred in different years.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Orange County truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 3 deaths, or 6.1%. People in other vehicles accounted for 32 deaths, or 65.3%, the largest person category. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 14 deaths, or 28.6%, in truck accidents from 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The FARS nonoccupant grouping is what that quoted label represents, encompassing pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. Whether someone was outside a vehicle is not literally what it tests: occupants of motor vehicles not in transport, such as parked vehicles, can fall within the other category.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

The truck accident vehicle counts identify 48 large trucks involved in fatal crashes during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors (semi or tractor-trailer units) numbered 20, representing 41.7% of those large trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 28. The table also records 1 large truck as jackknifed.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These are vehicle counts, distinct from the 47 fatal crashes and 49 deaths recorded for the period. A crash can involve multiple large trucks. The truck-tractor share describes the composition of the large trucks involved; it is not a share of crashes or deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Counts are trucks, not crashes. One crash can involve more than one large truck.

How the fatal truck crashes happened

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Rear-end crashes accounted for 16 deaths (32.7%), angle (side impact) for 10 (20.4%), sideswipe for 4 (8.2%) and head-on for 1 (2.0%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" accounted for 18 deaths (36.7%). This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport; examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A vehicle stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separate truck accident configuration figures assign 13 deaths (26.5%) to single-vehicle crashes, 26 (53.1%) to two-vehicle crashes and 10 (20.4%) to crashes involving three or more vehicles. Configuration counts vehicles involved, separately from manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate truck accident deaths numbered 9, or 18.4% of the county total. The listed route-coded counts were 7 deaths on I-5 and 2 on I-405. These figures require an interstate route classification and a parseable I-route number; the listed routes are a subset, not a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 25 deaths (51.0%); nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 24 (49.0%). Urban locations recorded 48 deaths (98.0%), while rural locations recorded 1 (2.0%). Work-zone records identified 2 deaths. These time, land-use and work-zone figures count deaths, not trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with California and the United States

Orange County's truck accident death rate was 0.3 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. California's rate was 1.1, and the national rate was 1.6. Each rate uses deaths divided by the sum of annual Census population estimates for the period, multiplied by 100,000. This population-based measure does not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Los Angeles County recorded a rate of 0.7, San Bernardino County 2.1, Riverside County 1.3 and San Diego County 0.6. Orange County's rate was lower than each of these rates. San Bernardino County had the highest rate among the listed neighboring counties, while San Diego County had the lowest.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public, with a death within 30 days. It excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries. Whether reading for statistics or searching for a truck accident lawyer, note that counts follow crash location, not where those killed lived.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, multiplied by 100,000. The separately displayed July 1, 2024 estimate of 3,158,027 is not the rate denominator. Rates express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjusting for miles driven or visitors.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

• Truck accident statistics for Los Angeles County, California (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for Riverside County, California (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for San Bernardino County, California (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Car accident statistics for Orange County, California (2020-2024) (caraccidentlawyers.wiki)