| Data years | 2020-2024[1][2][3][4][5] |
|---|---|
| Route segment | I-5 in California[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Deaths in large-truck crashes, 2020-2024 | 158[1][2][3][4][5] |
| All deaths on the route segment, 2020-2024 | 805[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Share of segment deaths in large-truck crashes | 19.6%[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Fatal crashes involving large trucks, 2020-2024 | 140[1][2][3][4][5] |
| 2024 data file | FARS Annual Report File[5] |
I-5 in California recorded 158 deaths in large-truck crashes during 2020 to 2024, alongside 805 deaths from all fatal crashes assigned to the route. Large-truck crash deaths represented 19.6% of all route deaths. The segment recorded 140 fatal large-truck crashes during that period. These truck accident statistics count everyone killed in those crashes, including people who were not occupants of a large truck. The death count and fatal-crash count describe different measures.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
For I-5 in California, a truck accident means a fatal crash involving at least one medium or heavy truck with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds, excluding buses and motor homes. Assignment uses the crash-level fields ROUTE=1 and a parseable I-route number in TWAY_ID. Those recorded fields identify route signing and crash location; they do not describe the highway's full geographic extent.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Contents
I-5 truck accident deaths in California by year
Annual truck accident deaths on I-5 in California fell from 33 in 2020 to 32 in 2021, then rose to 34 in 2022. The count fell to 23 in 2023 before rising to 36 in 2024. The highest large-truck death count was 36 in 2024, and the lowest was 23 in 2023.[1][2][3][4][5]
All route deaths followed a different sequence: 142 in 2020, 194 in 2021, 169 in 2022, 136 in 2023 and 164 in 2024. The highest all-route count was 194 in 2021; the lowest was 136 in 2023. Both measures reached their lowest counts in 2023, but their highest counts occurred in different years. The 2024 figures use the Annual Report File and remain subject to revision.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Year | Deaths in large-truck crashes | All deaths on the route |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 33 | 142 |
| 2021 | 32 | 194 |
| 2022 | 34 | 169 |
| 2023 | 23 | 136 |
| 2024 | 36 | 164 |
Crashes are placed on the route by the trafficway identifier recorded for each fatal crash. 2024 is the Annual Report File.
Counties along I-5 in California
Truck accident deaths occurred in 18 counties on California's I-5 segment. Among the listed rows, Los Angeles County had the highest count, 33 deaths and 20.9%, followed by San Joaquin County with 19 and 12.0%. San Diego County recorded 16 and 10.1%; Kern County recorded 15 and 9.5%.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Fresno County recorded 13 deaths and 8.2%, Merced County 12 and 7.6%, and Sacramento County 10 and 6.3%. Orange County, Shasta County and Stanislaus County each recorded 7 and 4.4%, tying for the lowest listed count. These shares use the segment's large-truck deaths as the denominator. County assignments identify where crashes occurred, not where the people killed lived.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
| County | Deaths in large-truck crashes, 2020-2024 | Share of the route total in the state |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 33 | 20.9% |
| San Joaquin County | 19 | 12.0% |
| San Diego County | 16 | 10.1% |
| Kern County | 15 | 9.5% |
| Fresno County | 13 | 8.2% |
| Merced County | 12 | 7.6% |
| Sacramento County | 10 | 6.3% |
| Orange County | 7 | 4.4% |
| Shasta County | 7 | 4.4% |
| Stanislaus County | 7 | 4.4% |
How the truck crashes on I-5 happened
Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 61 deaths, 38.6%. It means no collision with another motor vehicle in transport, including events such as a rollover or striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object. Vehicles stopped in traffic can be in transport. Rear-end crashes recorded 52 deaths, 32.9%; angle crashes 18, 11.4%; sideswipe and head-on crashes each 11, 7.0%; and Other 5, 3.2%.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Daytime, 6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m., recorded 61 truck accident deaths, 38.6%. Nighttime, 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m., recorded 97, 61.4%. Urban locations recorded 75 deaths, 47.5%; rural locations 82, 51.9%; and land use not reported 1, 0.6%. Work-zone deaths numbered 10. Each classification counts deaths in California's I-5 large-truck crashes, rather than the number of trucks or fatal crashes.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
I-5 in other states
Across all states, I-5 recorded 247 deaths in large-truck crashes during 2020 to 2024, with deaths recorded in 4 states. California's 158 deaths represented 64.0% of that route-wide total. The listed Washington segment recorded 47 deaths, while the listed Oregon segment recorded 42. California's count was higher than either listed other-state count, and Washington's was higher than Oregon's.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
The other-state table presents a subset of state segments; its entries are not the route-wide total. These truck accident counts are assigned by crash location and provide no traffic-adjusted risk ranking. They do not establish relative risk per trip or mile for California, Washington or Oregon on I-5.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
About these figures
For I-5 in California, FARS supplies fatal-crash data only, excluding nonfatal crashes and injuries. Its scope requires a motor vehicle on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. State and county fields locate the crash, not the deceased person's residence. Large-truck involvement does not establish fault.[8][6][7]
California's I-5 assignment uses ROUTE=1 and a parseable I-route number in TWAY_ID, describing recorded signing and location rather than full highway extent. The 2020 to 2023 records are Final Files; the 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced by the Final File. Readers searching for a truck accident lawyer should keep these location-based fatal-crash groupings in mind when interpreting the counts.[8][6][7]
See also
- California truck accident statistics (2020-2024)
- I-5 truck accidents in Oregon (2020-2024)
- I-5 truck accidents in Washington (2020-2024)
On related publications
- Truck accident statistics for San Diego County, California (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
- Truck accident statistics for Los Angeles County, California (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
- Truck accident statistics for Orange County, California (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
- Truck accident statistics for San Joaquin County, California (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
References
- abcdefghijklmnopqrst "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2020 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrst "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2021 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrst "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2022 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrst "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2023 national data files (Final File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghijklmnopqrstu "Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024 national data files (Annual Report File)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcdefghij "Fatality Analysis Reporting System Analytical User's Manual, 1975-2024 (DOT HS 813 794)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- abcd "Large trucks: 2024 data (DOT HS 813 816, June 2026)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record
- ab "Overview of motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, April 2026)". National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Official source. Checked . Source record