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

Truck accident deaths in Wharton County by year

Truck accident deaths fell from 6 in 2020 to 3 in 2021, then rose to 8 in 2022. The count fell to 1 in 2023 before rising to 5 in 2024. The highest count was 8 in 2022, and the lowest was 1 in 2023. The 2024 count was lower than the 2020 count by 1 death.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths occurring in truck accidents was 30.0% in 2020, 15.0% in 2021, 44.4% in 2022, 7.1% in 2023 and 35.7% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 20 in 2020, 20 in 2021, 18 in 2022, 14 in 2023 and 14 in 2024. These are annual death counts, rather than counts of fatal crashes.^{[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 Wharton County truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 11 deaths, or 47.8% of truck accident deaths. People in other vehicles also accounted for 11 deaths and 47.8%. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 1 death, or 4.3%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

That quoted label denotes the FARS nonoccupant grouping, which includes pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. It is not a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle: the other category can include occupants of parked motor vehicles. The categories describe the people who died in truck accidents, rather than assigning fault.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

Fatal crashes in Wharton County involved 27 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors, described in the table as semi or tractor-trailer units, numbered 15 and represented 55.6% of those large trucks. Single-unit and other large trucks numbered 12. The number of large trucks recorded as jackknifed was 1.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

These figures count vehicles involved in fatal crashes, not the number of truck accident deaths or fatal crashes. A crash can involve multiple large trucks. The jackknife entry likewise counts trucks, so it 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) recorded 12 deaths, or 52.2%; head-on, 2 and 8.7%; rear-end, 3 and 13.0%; and sideswipe, 1 and 4.3%. "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 5 deaths, or 21.7%. This means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport, including events such as rollovers or impacts with parked vehicles. 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, 4 and 17.4%; two-vehicle, 15 and 65.2%; and three or more vehicles, 4 and 17.4%. Configuration counts vehicles involved; it is distinct from manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Interstates, time of day and setting

The interstate classification recorded 0 truck accident deaths, or 0.0%. This classification requires interstate route coding and a parseable I-route number; route-coded figures do not describe the full road network.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 11 deaths, or 47.8%, while nighttime accounted for 12 deaths, or 52.2%. Urban locations recorded 2 deaths, or 8.7%; rural locations recorded 21 deaths, or 91.3%. Work-zone crashes accounted for 5 deaths. Each of these figures counts people who died in truck accidents during 2020 through 2024, rather than trucks involved or the number of crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck accident death rate compared with Texas and the United States

Wharton County's truck accident death rate was 11.0 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The Texas rate was 2.5, and the United States rate was 1.6. Among the listed neighboring counties, Brazoria County had a rate of 1.7 and Fort Bend County had a rate of 0.7. Wharton County's rate was higher than each of these comparison rates.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The calculation divides deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates and multiplies by 100,000. It does not adjust for miles driven or visitors. For readers searching for a truck accident lawyer, these figures remain grouped by crash location, rather than the home county 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 Fatality Analysis Reporting System 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 where the people who died lived.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File figures can change when the Final File replaces them. Rate denominators sum annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 for 2020 through 2024. The separately displayed July 1, 2024 population estimate of 42,065 is not the rate denominator. Rates express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustments for miles driven or visitors.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

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