Truck accident statistics for Polk County, Florida (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Polk County by year

Truck accident deaths rose from 22 in 2020 to 27 in 2021, then fell to 13 in 2022. The count rose to 26 in 2023 and reached 27 in 2024. The highest count was shared by 2021 and 2024, while 2022 had the lowest count. The 2024 count was 5 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths involving a truck accident was 16.4% in 2020, 14.8% in 2021, 9.8% in 2022, 16.6% in 2023 and 23.9% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 134, 182, 133, 157 and 113 in those respective years. These shares describe deaths, rather than the percentage of crashes involving trucks.^{[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 Polk County truck accidents

People in other vehicles accounted for 90 deaths, or 78.3% of truck accident deaths. People in the large truck accounted for 7 deaths, or 6.1%. The largest person category was People in other vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 18 deaths, or 15.7%. This label represents the FARS nonoccupant grouping, which includes pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. It is not a literal test of being outside a vehicle: the category can include occupants of motor vehicles not in transport, such as parked vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

Fatal truck crashes in Polk County involved 111 large trucks from 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors (semi or tractor-trailer units) numbered 70 and represented 63.1% of those trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 41. The count of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 3.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These are vehicle counts, separate from the 105 fatal crashes and 115 truck accident deaths recorded for the period. A crash can involve multiple large trucks. The truck-tractor share therefore describes the trucks involved, rather than a share of crashes or people killed.^{[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. Angle (side impact) recorded 50 deaths (43.5%); head-on, 16 (13.9%); rear-end, 20 (17.4%); sideswipe, 8 (7.0%); and Other, 1 (0.9%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 20 deaths (17.4%). It means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, including events involving a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle, fixed object or rollover. A vehicle stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separate crash configuration figures assign 18 truck accident deaths (15.7%) to single-vehicle crashes, 73 (63.5%) to two-vehicle crashes and 24 (20.9%) to crashes involving three or more vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate-coded crashes accounted for 9 truck accident deaths, or 7.8%. The listed I-4 count was 9 deaths. These figures require ROUTE=1 and a parseable interstate route number in TWAY_ID; the listed route is a coded subset, not a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime recorded 59 deaths (51.3%), and nighttime recorded 56 (48.7%). Urban locations accounted for 79 deaths (68.7%); rural locations, 35 (30.4%); and locations with land use not reported, 1 (0.9%). Work-zone truck accident deaths numbered 3. That work-zone figure counts people killed, rather than trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Florida and the United States

Polk County's truck accident death rate was 2.9 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Florida's rate was 1.6, and the United States rate was 1.6. Polk County's rate was higher than each of these rates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, rates were 1.4 for Hillsborough County, 1.0 for Orange County, 2.8 for Lake County and 1.4 for Pasco County. Lake County had the highest rate among the listed neighboring counties, and Orange County had the lowest. Polk County's rate was higher than each listed neighbor's rate. These rates use deaths at crash locations and annual population estimates; they do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^{[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 NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. For readers searching "truck accident lawyer," these counts group deaths by crash county, not where the people lived.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files; the 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced by the Final File. Rates divide deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 and multiply by 100,000. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate is not the denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

• Truck accident statistics for Highlands County, Florida (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for Hillsborough County, Florida (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for Lake County, Florida (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Car accident statistics for Polk County, Florida (2020-2024) (caraccidentlawyers.wiki)