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

Truck accident deaths in Potter County by year

Truck accident deaths fell from 4 in 2020 to 2 in 2021 and 1 in 2022, then rose to 7 in 2023 and 8 in 2024. The highest count was 8 in 2024, and the lowest was 1 in 2022. The 2024 count was 4 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths attributed to truck accidents followed the same sequence: 19.0%, 6.9%, 5.3%, 29.2% and 32.0%. All traffic deaths numbered 21 in 2020, 29 in 2021, 19 in 2022, 24 in 2023 and 25 in 2024. Across 2020 through 2024, the average annual truck accident death count was 4.4.^{[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 Potter County truck accidents

People in other vehicles accounted for the largest share of truck accident deaths: 18 deaths, or 81.8%. People in the large truck accounted for 3 deaths, or 13.6%. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 1 death, or 4.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

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

The trucks involved

The truck accident records identify 24 large trucks involved in fatal crashes during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors (semi or tractor-trailer units) numbered 19, representing 79.2% of those large trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 5. The count of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 1.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Each figure in this section counts vehicles. These are distinct from the 21 fatal crashes and 22 deaths recorded for the period. A crash can involve multiple large trucks, so the trucks table is not a count of 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) accounted for 9 deaths (40.9%), head-on for 6 (27.3%), rear-end for 4 (18.2%) and sideswipe for 1 (4.5%). "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" accounted for 2 deaths (9.1%). This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, including events involving a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle, fixed object or rollover. A vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separately, truck accident deaths by vehicle configuration were single-vehicle, 2 (9.1%); two-vehicle, 17 (77.3%); and three or more vehicles, 3 (13.6%). These configuration categories are distinct from manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

Interstate-coded truck accident deaths numbered 6, representing 27.3% of the total. The listed route, I-40, recorded 6 deaths. Interstate identification requires ROUTE=1 and a parseable I-route number in TWAY_ID; the listed route counts represent the packet's 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 12 deaths (54.5%). Nighttime, from 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., accounted for 10 (45.5%). The urban classification recorded 18 deaths (81.8%), and the rural classification recorded 4 (18.2%). Work-zone deaths numbered 0. These figures count deaths, rather than trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Texas and the United States

Potter County's truck accident death rate was 3.8 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. That was higher than the Texas rate of 2.5 and the United States rate of 1.6. The corresponding death counts were 22 for Potter County, 3,712 for Texas and 27,553 for the United States. No neighboring county rates are supplied in this packet.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The rate uses deaths divided by the sum of annual Census population estimates, multiplied by 100,000. It does not adjust for miles driven or visitors. For readers using the phrase "truck accident lawyer," the counts remain grouped by crash location, rather than the home county 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 enumerated in the FARS census. To qualify for inclusion, a crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public, with an occupant or nonoccupant death occurring within 30 days. Injuries and nonfatal crashes are excluded. Counts are assigned to counties according to where the crash occurred, not where the deceased person resided.^[9][6][7][8]

Records for 2020 through 2023 use FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File remains subject to revision 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. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator.^[9][6][7][8]