Oklahoma truck accident statistics (2020-2024)

Truck accident deaths in Oklahoma by year

Annual truck accident deaths were 89 in 2020, 136 in 2021, 136 in 2022, 128 in 2023 and 114 in 2024. Their shares of Oklahoma traffic deaths were 13.6%, 17.8%, 19.2%, 18.0% and 17.7%, respectively. The highest death count was tied in 2021 and 2022; 2020 had the lowest. The 2024 count was 25 deaths higher than 2020.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Oklahoma's shares of national large-truck deaths were 1.8% in 2020, 2.3% in 2021, 2.3% in 2022, 2.3% in 2023 and 2.1% in 2024. Across the full period, Oklahoma accounted for 2.2% of the national total of 27,553 deaths. Oklahoma's highest displayed annual national share was 2.3%, reported in 2021, 2022 and 2023.^{[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 Oklahoma truck accidents

People in the large truck accounted for 113 deaths, or 18.7%, while people in other vehicles accounted for 437 deaths, or 72.5%. The row "Pedestrians, bicyclists and other people outside vehicles" records 53 deaths, or 8.8%, in Oklahoma truck accidents from 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The FARS nonoccupant grouping is represented by that quoted label: pedestrians, pedalcyclists, and other or unknown nonoccupants. Being outside a vehicle is not a literal test for this grouping. Occupants of motor vehicles not in transport, including parked vehicles, can be included in the other category.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

The trucks involved

Fatal crashes in Oklahoma involved 586 large trucks during 2020 through 2024. Truck-tractors accounted for 368 trucks, or 62.8% of that vehicle count. The category single-unit and other large trucks recorded 218 trucks. These truck accident figures describe the vehicles involved, rather than the number of fatal crashes or people killed.^{[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]}

Large trucks over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating numbered 422, representing 72.0% of the large trucks recorded. There were 11 large trucks recorded as jackknifed and 23 carrying hazardous materials. A fatal crash can involve multiple large trucks, so the truck count is a separate measure 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 truck accident deaths numbered 171 in Oklahoma from 2020 through 2024, accounting for 28.4% of large-truck crash deaths. The listed route-coded subset records 56 large-truck crash deaths on I-35, 54 on I-44 and 53 on I-40.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

All traffic deaths on those routes were 124, 149 and 158, respectively; those figures are distinct from the large-truck death counts. The listed routes do not describe the full road network. Separately, work-zone truck accident deaths numbered 38. That work-zone measure counts people killed, rather than trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Counties with the most truck accident deaths

Among the listed counties, Oklahoma County had the highest truck accident death count at 53, followed by Tulsa County with 52 and Canadian County with 22. Their average annual deaths per 100,000 residents were 1.3, 1.5 and 2.6, respectively.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Love County recorded 13 deaths and the highest rate among the listed counties, 25.2. Oklahoma County's 1.3 was the lowest listed rate. McCurtain County recorded 16 deaths and a rate of 10.4. These rows are a county subset; 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 Oklahoma compares with the national rate

Oklahoma's average annual truck accident death rate was 3.0 per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024, higher than the national rate of 1.6. The corresponding death counts were 603 for Oklahoma and 27,553 for the United States. These are population-based comparisons of deaths recorded by crash location.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The denominator sums annual Census Bureau population estimates across the period, rather than using only Oklahoma's 2024 population of 4,097,758. Dividing deaths by that summed population and multiplying by 100,000 produces the average annual rate. The truck accident rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Manner of collision and setting

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. Angle collisions recorded 207 deaths. "Not a collision with another moving vehicle" recorded 156 and means no collision with a motor vehicle in transport; vehicles stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime recorded 398 truck accident deaths; nighttime recorded 204. Urban deaths numbered 171 and rural deaths 431. Separately, crash configuration recorded 107 deaths in single-vehicle crashes, 372 in two-vehicle crashes and 124 in crashes involving three or more vehicles. Configuration and manner of collision are distinct classifications.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Truck occupant deaths by crash configuration

Among people in the large truck who died in Oklahoma during 2020 through 2024, 67 died in single-vehicle crashes and 46 in multiple-vehicle crashes. This truck accident subset concerns truck occupants only. Readers searching for a truck accident lawyer should distinguish it from deaths across all person categories.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

About these figures

Oklahoma's FARS records cover fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes on trafficways customarily open to the public, with an occupant or nonoccupant dying within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. State and county assignments follow crash location, not where those killed lived.^[9][6][7][8]

The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files; 2024 uses the revisable Annual Report File. Rates use summed annual Census Bureau estimates, Vintage 2025, and multiplication by 100,000. They have no mileage or visitor adjustment. The separately displayed July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator for Oklahoma's rate.^[9][6][7][8]

See also

• I-35 truck accidents in Oklahoma (2020-2024)
• I-40 truck accidents in Oklahoma (2020-2024)
• I-44 truck accidents in Oklahoma (2020-2024)

On related publications

• Oklahoma car accident statistics (2020-2024) (caraccidentlawyers.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Tulsa County, Oklahoma (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)
• Truck accident statistics for Canadian County, Oklahoma (2020-2024) (truckaccidentlawyer.wiki)