Truck accident statistics for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Dauphin County by year

Truck accident deaths numbered 1 in 2020, 7 in 2021, 3 in 2022, 7 in 2023 and 6 in 2024. The highest count was shared by 2021 and 2023, with 7 deaths each; the lowest was 1 in 2020. The 2024 count was 5 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths occurring in truck accidents was 5.0% in 2020, 17.1% in 2021, 10.0% in 2022, 20.0% in 2023 and 23.1% in 2024. Although the truck accident death count fell from 7 in 2023 to 6 in 2024, its share of all traffic deaths rose from 20.0% to 23.1%.^{[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 Dauphin County truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 5 deaths, or 20.8%. People in other vehicles accounted for 16 deaths, or 66.7%, the largest share of truck accident deaths by person category. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 3 deaths, or 12.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

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

The trucks involved

Fatal truck accidents in Dauphin County involved 24 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Of those vehicles, 15 were truck-tractors, described in the table as semi or tractor-trailer units. Truck-tractors represented 62.5% of the large trucks recorded. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 9. The count of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 1.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These are vehicle counts, distinct from the 21 fatal crashes and 24 deaths. A crash can involve multiple large trucks, so the trucks table does not count separate truck accidents 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 2 deaths (8.3%); head-on, 3 (12.5%); rear-end, 8 (33.3%); and sideswipe, 2 (8.3%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 9 deaths (37.5%). 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]}

Separately, truck accident deaths by crash configuration were single-vehicle, 6 (25.0%); two-vehicle, 15 (62.5%); and three or more vehicles, 3 (12.5%). These shares describe the number of vehicles in the crash, not its manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate truck accident deaths numbered 6, or 25.0%. The listed route-coded counts were 3 on I-83, 2 on I-81 and 1 on I-76. These figures require interstate route coding and a parseable I-route number; the listed routes are a 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 15 deaths (62.5%). Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 9 (37.5%). Urban locations recorded 21 deaths (87.5%), while rural locations recorded 3 (12.5%). Work-zone truck accident deaths numbered 2. The work-zone figure counts people killed, rather than trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Pennsylvania and the United States

Dauphin County's truck accident death rate was 1.7 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Pennsylvania's rate was 1.3, and the national rate was 1.6. The county rate was higher than both.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, rates were 1.8 in Lancaster County, 1.3 in York County, 1.9 in Cumberland County and 3.5 in Schuylkill County. Dauphin County's rate was higher than York County's and lower than those of the other listed neighbors. These rates use deaths at crash locations and annual population estimates; they do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. When reading with "truck accident lawyer" in mind, keep that geographic grouping attached to the figures.^{[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 death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. County counts follow crash location, not where the people killed lived.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File can be revised when replaced by the Final File. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population estimate of 292,917 is not the rate denominator.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

• Truck accident statistics for Lebanon County, Pennsylvania (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (2020-2024)