Truck accident statistics for Essex County, New Jersey (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Essex County by year

Annual truck accident deaths rose from 3 in 2020 to 9 in 2021, then fell to 5 in 2022 and 4 in 2023 before rising to 6 in 2024. The highest count was 9 in 2021; the lowest was 3 in 2020. The 2024 count was 3 deaths higher than the 2020 count. The average was 5.4 deaths per year.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The truck accident share of all traffic deaths followed the same yearly direction: 6.7% in 2020, 14.8% in 2021, 8.8% in 2022, 7.5% in 2023 and 12.8% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 45, 61, 57, 53 and 47 in those respective years. Both the annual truck death count and its share were highest in 2021.^{[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 Essex County truck accidents

People in other vehicles accounted for 17 truck accident deaths, or 63.0%, the largest person category. People in the large truck accounted for 3 deaths, or 11.1%. The row labeled "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 7 deaths, or 25.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

That quoted label represents the FARS nonoccupant grouping, which includes pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. The grouping can include occupants of motor vehicles not in transport, such as parked vehicles. It therefore is not a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

Fatal crashes in Essex County involved 28 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors, described in the table as semi or tractor-trailer units, numbered 11 and represented 39.3% of those trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 17. The number of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 1.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These are vehicle counts, distinct from the 26 fatal crashes and 27 truck accident deaths recorded for the period. A fatal crash can involve multiple large trucks. The jackknife figure likewise counts trucks, rather than crashes or people who died.^{[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 (22.2%); head-on, 2 (7.4%); rear-end, 7 (25.9%); and sideswipe, 1 (3.7%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" accounted for 11 deaths (40.7%). This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, including events such as 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 crash-configuration figures recorded single-vehicle deaths at 5 (18.5%), two-vehicle deaths at 17 (63.0%), and deaths in crashes involving three or more vehicles at 5 (18.5%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate-coded truck accident deaths numbered 11, or 40.7%. The listed route counts were I-78 with 4 deaths, I-280 with 3, I-95 with 2 and I-80 with 2. These figures require interstate route coding and a readable I-route number; the listed routes are a route-coded subset, not a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 16 deaths (59.3%). Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 11 (40.7%). Urban locations recorded 27 deaths (100.0%); rural locations recorded 0 (0.0%). Work-zone truck accident deaths numbered 0. These location and time figures count deaths, not trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with New Jersey and the United States

Essex County's truck accident death rate was 0.6 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents, compared with 0.8 for New Jersey and 1.6 nationally. The county rate was lower than both. Among the listed neighboring counties, Bergen County had a rate of 0.5 and Union County had a rate of 0.8. Essex County's rate was higher than Bergen County's and lower than Union County's.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates divide deaths from 2020 through 2024 by the sum of annual Census population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. For readers using the phrase "truck accident lawyer," keep the grouping in view: these counts describe crash locations, rather than the home counties of the people who died.^{[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

NHTSA's FARS is a 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 use crash location, not the deceased person's residence.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 records are FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced by the Final File. Average annual rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, multiplied by 100,000. The separate 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 Bergen County, New Jersey (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for Union County, New Jersey (2020-2024)