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

Truck accident deaths in Polk County by year

Truck accident deaths rose from 4 in 2020 to 6 in 2021, fell to 0 in 2022, and rose to 10 in 2023 before falling to 8 in 2024. The highest count was 10 in 2023; the lowest was 0 in 2022. The 2024 count was 4 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual shares of all traffic deaths were 26.7% in 2020, 30.0% in 2021, 0.0% in 2022, 40.0% in 2023 and 36.4% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 15, 20, 9, 25 and 22 in those respective years. Both the truck accident death count and its share of traffic deaths reached their highest values in 2023.^{[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 the large truck accounted for 4 deaths, or 14.3%. People in other vehicles accounted for 20 deaths, or 71.4%, the largest person category. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 4 deaths, or 14.3%. These categories describe people who died in truck accidents during 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

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

The trucks involved

Fatal crashes in Polk County involved 23 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors (semi or tractor-trailer units) numbered 13, representing 56.5% of the large trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 10. The count of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 1.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Each figure in the trucks table counts vehicles, rather than crashes or deaths. A truck accident can involve multiple large trucks, so the 23 vehicles and 22 fatal crashes are distinct measures. The jackknifed figure likewise counts trucks and should not be read as a death count.^{[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) accounted for 10 deaths (35.7%), head-on for 8 (28.6%), rear-end for 2 (7.1%) and sideswipe for 2 (7.1%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" accounted for 6 deaths (21.4%). That row 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 in transport can be stopped in traffic.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separate crash configuration figures group truck accident deaths by vehicle count: single-vehicle crashes accounted for 6 deaths (21.4%), two-vehicle crashes for 21 (75.0%), and crashes involving three or more vehicles for 1 (3.6%). These are death shares, not shares of crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

The interstate classification recorded 0 truck accident deaths, or 0.0%, during 2020 through 2024. It requires ROUTE=1 and a parseable I-route number in TWAY_ID. No individual interstate route counts are supplied; route-coded figures do not describe the full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime, from 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., accounted for 15 deaths (53.6%). Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 13 (46.4%). The urban category recorded 6 deaths (21.4%), while the rural category recorded 22 (78.6%). Work-zone deaths numbered 0. These figures count deaths rather than trucks or fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Texas and the United States

Polk County's truck accident death rate was 10.7 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Texas recorded a rate of 2.5, and the United States recorded 1.6. Among the listed neighboring counties, Liberty County's rate was 5.4 and Angelina County's was 4.8. Polk County's rate was higher than each of these comparison rates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

These rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates and do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Liberty County recorded 28 deaths and Angelina County recorded 21, while Polk County recorded 28. For readers searching for a truck accident lawyer, the grouping to keep in mind is crash location, rather than the deceased person's home county.^{[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 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 death 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 figures use FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File figures can change when replaced by the Final File. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 and multiply by 100,000. They measure average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjusting for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

• Truck accident statistics for Angelina County, Texas (2020-2024)
• Truck accident statistics for Liberty County, Texas (2020-2024)