New Jersey truck accident statistics (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in New Jersey by year

Truck accident deaths numbered 51 in 2020, 88 in 2021, 107 in 2022, 62 in 2023 and 69 in 2024. Their respective shares of New Jersey traffic deaths were 8.7%, 12.7%, 15.5%, 10.2% and 10.3%. Both the death count and traffic-death share were highest in 2022 and lowest in 2020.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The 2024 count was 18 deaths higher than in 2020. New Jersey's annual shares of U.S. large-truck deaths were 1.0%, 1.5%, 1.8%, 1.1% and 1.3%, respectively. Across 2020 through 2024, New Jersey accounted for 1.4% of the national total of 27,553 deaths. These national shares measure deaths, rather than shares of fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised when NHTSA publishes the final file.

Who died in New Jersey truck accidents

People in other vehicles accounted for 240 truck accident deaths, or 63.7%, the largest share among the listed person categories. People in the large truck accounted for 61 deaths, or 16.2%. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" recorded 76 deaths, or 20.2%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

That quoted label represents the FARS nonoccupant grouping: pedestrians, pedalcyclists and other or unknown nonoccupants. It is not a literal test of being outside a vehicle. The other category can include occupants of motor vehicles not in transport, including parked vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

Fatal crashes in New Jersey involved 381 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors accounted for 164 trucks, or 43.0%. The single-unit and other large trucks category contained 217 trucks. Separately, 264 large trucks had a gross vehicle weight rating over 26,000 pounds, representing 69.3% of the large trucks recorded.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

The records identified 7 large trucks as jackknifed and 10 as carrying hazardous materials. Each figure in this section counts trucks involved in fatal crashes, rather than truck accident deaths or crash events. A fatal crash can involve multiple large trucks, so the vehicle count is distinct from the crash count.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Counts are trucks, not crashes. One crash can involve more than one large truck.

Interstates and crash types

Interstate crashes accounted for 87 large-truck deaths in New Jersey from 2020 through 2024, or 23.1% of truck accident deaths. The interstate classification uses the FARS route field and a readable interstate route number.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

For the listed route, I-95, the records show 26 deaths in large-truck crashes and 94 deaths from all traffic crashes. These are separate measures; the 94 deaths are not all truck accident deaths. The listed route is a route-coded subset, not a complete road network. Work-zone crashes accounted for 7 large-truck deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Counties with the most truck accident deaths

Among the listed counties, Middlesex County had the highest truck accident death count, 40, with an average annual rate of 0.9 per 100,000 residents. Burlington County recorded 35 deaths and a rate of 1.5; Gloucester County recorded 28 and 1.8.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Salem County had 22 deaths and the highest rate among the listed counties, 6.7. Hudson County and Monmouth County shared the lowest listed rate, 0.4, with 16 and 13 deaths, respectively. County rows are a subset, and rates based on small death counts are sensitive to each death.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Up to 15 counties with the most deaths in the period, largest first. Rates for counties with few deaths change sharply with each death.

How New Jersey compares with the national rate

New Jersey's average annual truck accident death rate was 0.8 per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024, compared with the national rate of 1.6. The corresponding death counts were 377 for New Jersey and 27,553 for the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The calculation divides deaths by summed annual Census population estimates for the period, then multiplies by 100,000. New Jersey's separately reported 2024 population of 9,506,354 is not that denominator. The rates do not adjust for mileage or visitors. When reading these figures while searching for a truck accident lawyer, keep population-based rates distinct from death counts.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Manner of collision and setting

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" accounted for 128 deaths, or 34.0%, meaning no collision with another motor vehicle in transport; transport includes vehicles stopped in traffic.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Separate classifications recorded daytime deaths of 213 and nighttime deaths of 164; urban deaths numbered 328, rural deaths 44, and land use was not reported for 5. Crash configuration, distinct from collision manner, recorded 98 deaths in single-vehicle crashes, 207 in two-vehicle crashes and 72 in crashes involving three or more vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck occupant deaths by crash configuration

Among people in the large truck, 38 died in single-vehicle crashes and 23 died in multiple-vehicle crashes in New Jersey during 2020 through 2024. These figures describe truck occupants only. They are a subset of truck accident deaths, which also include people in other person categories.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

About these figures

New Jersey counts come from NHTSA FARS, a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded.^[9][6][7][8]

State and county assignments follow crash location, not residence. Files for 2020 through 2023 are final; the 2024 Annual Report File remains revisable. Rates use summed annual Census Vintage 2025 populations, multiplied into a per 100,000 measure, without mileage or visitor adjustments. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population is not the denominator.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

• I-95 truck accidents in New Jersey (2020-2024)

On related publications

• New Jersey car accident statistics (2020-2024) (caraccidentlawyers.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Middlesex County, New Jersey (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Burlington County, New Jersey (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Gloucester County, New Jersey (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Essex County, New Jersey (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Bergen County, New Jersey (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)