Truck accident statistics for Knox County, Tennessee (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Knox County by year

Truck accident deaths rose from 6 in 2020 to 13 in 2021, then fell to 5 in 2022. The count rose to 7 in 2023 and reached 13 in 2024. The highest count was shared by 2021 and 2024, while 2022 had the lowest count. The 2024 count was 7 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The share of all traffic deaths attributed to truck accidents was 11.3% in 2020, 16.9% in 2021, 9.4% in 2022, 8.1% in 2023 and 15.9% in 2024. Although 2021 and 2024 had the same truck accident death count, their shares differed: all traffic deaths numbered 77 in 2021 and 82 in 2024.^{[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 Knox County truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 3 deaths, or 6.8%. People in other vehicles accounted for 34 deaths, or 77.3%, the largest person category. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" accounted for 7 deaths, or 15.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

That quoted label represents the FARS nonoccupant grouping, which includes pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. Its other category can include occupants of parked motor vehicles. It therefore does not function as a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle. These categories describe people killed in truck accidents, rather than only truck occupants.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

The vehicle records identify 46 large trucks in fatal crashes in Knox County during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors (semi or tractor-trailer units) accounted for 22 trucks, representing 47.8% of the large trucks recorded. Single-unit and other large trucks accounted for 24 trucks. The count of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 0.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These are vehicle counts, distinct from the 40 fatal crashes and 44 truck accident deaths. A crash can involve multiple large trucks, so the trucks table counts each involved large truck rather than treating each truck as a separate crash or death.^{[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 accounted for 19 deaths (43.2%); Angle (side impact), 10 (22.7%); Head-on, 3 (6.8%); Sideswipe, 4 (9.1%); and Other, 1 (2.3%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" accounted for 7 deaths (15.9%). This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, 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]}

Separate crash configuration shares describe truck accident deaths by vehicle count: single-vehicle, 11.4%; two-vehicle, 59.1%; and three or more vehicles, 29.5%. These shares classify deaths separately from manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate-coded truck accident deaths numbered 25, or 56.8%. The listed route-coded counts were 21 deaths on I-40, 3 on I-75 and 1 on I-640. These figures require ROUTE=1 and a parseable interstate route number in TWAY_ID; the listed routes are a coded subset, not a full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 21 deaths (47.7%), and nighttime accounted for 23 (52.3%). Urban locations recorded 36 deaths (81.8%), while rural locations recorded 8 (18.2%). The work-zone count was 1 death. Each of these figures counts people killed, rather than trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Tennessee and the United States

Knox County's truck accident death rate was 1.8 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Tennessee's rate was 2.4, and the United States rate was 1.6. The county rate was lower than the state rate and higher than the national rate. The corresponding death counts were 44 for Knox County, 837 for Tennessee and 27,553 nationally. No neighboring county rates are supplied in the fact sheet.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates use annual Census population estimates and do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Whether reading for statistical reference or searching for a truck accident lawyer, keep the grouping in view: the deaths are assigned to crash locations, not to the home counties of the people killed.^{[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

Fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes are the subject of the FARS census. To qualify for inclusion, a crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and the death of an occupant or nonoccupant within 30 days. Counts by county are based on where the crash occurred, not where the deceased person resided. The counts exclude nonfatal crashes and injuries.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File and may change with 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 is not the denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

On related publications

• Car accident statistics for Knox County, Tennessee (2020-2024) (caraccidentlawyers.wiki)