Truck accident statistics for Middlesex County, Massachusetts (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Middlesex County by year

Truck accident deaths rose from 3 in 2020 to 8 in 2021 and reached their highest count, 15, in 2022. The count fell to 3 in 2023 before rising to 5 in 2024. The lowest count was 3, recorded in both 2020 and 2023. The 2024 count was 2 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of all traffic deaths attributed to truck accidents was 6.5% in 2020, 14.0% in 2021, 20.0% in 2022, 7.0% in 2023 and 9.1% in 2024. All traffic deaths for those years were 46, 57, 75, 43 and 55, respectively. These yearly figures count deaths by crash location.^{[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 Middlesex County truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 3 deaths, or 8.8%. People in other vehicles accounted for 22 deaths, or 64.7%, the largest person category. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" accounted for 9 deaths, or 26.5%, in the county's truck accidents.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

That quoted label represents the FARS nonoccupant grouping, including pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. It is not a literal test of whether someone was 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

The truck accident vehicle counts record 34 large trucks involved in fatal crashes during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors (semi or tractor-trailer units) accounted for 16 trucks, or 47.1% of those large trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks accounted for 18 trucks. The number of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 1.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These figures count vehicles, not crashes or deaths. A fatal crash can involve multiple large trucks, so the truck counts describe the vehicles involved rather than the number of fatal events 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. Truck accident deaths were recorded as Angle (side impact), 6 (17.6%); Head-on, 7 (20.6%); Rear-end, 6 (17.6%); Sideswipe, 1 (2.9%); and Other, 1 (2.9%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" accounted for 13 deaths (38.2%). This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, including events such as a rollover or striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object. A vehicle stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separately, crash configuration counts vehicles involved: single-vehicle crashes accounted for 10 deaths (29.4%), two-vehicle crashes for 18 (52.9%), and crashes involving three or more vehicles for 6 (17.6%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate truck accident deaths numbered 18, or 52.9%. The listed route-coded counts were 6 on I-495, 6 on I-90, 5 on I-93 and 1 on I-95. These figures use interstate route coding plus a parseable I-route number; the listed routes are a coded subset, not a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 16 deaths (47.1%), nighttime for 17 (50.0%), and time not reported for 1 (2.9%). Urban locations accounted for 34 deaths (100.0%); rural locations accounted for 0 (0.0%). Work-zone deaths numbered 1. Each of these location and time figures counts deaths rather than trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Massachusetts and the United States

The average annual truck accident death rate was 0.4 per 100,000 residents in Middlesex County, compared with 0.5 for Massachusetts and 1.6 for the United States. The rate for the listed neighboring county, Worcester County, Massachusetts, was 0.6. Middlesex County's rate was lower than each of these comparison rates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These are average annual deaths per 100,000 residents, calculated using deaths from 2020 through 2024 and the sum of annual Census population estimates. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The deaths used in the rates are grouped by crash location, not home address. For readers searching for a truck accident lawyer, keep that location-based grouping in mind when reading these counts.^{[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 an occupant or nonoccupant dying within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. County counts follow crash location, not where those killed lived.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS 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, Vintage 2025, and multiply by 100,000. The separately displayed July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

• Truck accident statistics for Worcester County, Massachusetts (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Car accident statistics for Middlesex County, Massachusetts (2020-2024) (caraccidentlawyers.wiki)