Which Trucking Companies Have the Most Accidents?
Trucks convoy in interstate highway

According to the Census Bureau, there were over 3.5 million people employed as truck drivers throughout the United States in 2019. Responsible for delivering resources and consumer goods throughout the country, the trucking industry is essential to the smooth functioning of the national economy.

However, because of their large size compared to other vehicles on the road, commercial trucks are much more dangerous when involved in accidents. Often, the consequences are fatal.

What Truck Company Has the Most Accidents?

In a recent two-year window, FedEx Ground trucks were involved in 80 fatal crashes while UPS trucks were involved in 67, the highest totals of all trucking companies.

If you were injured in an accident involving a commercial truck at little to no fault of your own, chances are you are legally entitled to compensation. Do not wait to have your case reviewed by an attorney as soon as possible. At Spiva Law Group, our team of experienced injury attorneys is ready to evaluate and handle your case. Call us today for a free consultation.

Trucking Companies with the Most Accidents

Truck accidents are very common in the United States. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that nearly 10% of all fatal crashes in Georgia in 2020 involved large trucks. Further, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 168,570 accidents nationwide involving large trucks in 2021. These crashes resulted in 79,120 injuries and 5,325 deaths. Georgia alone accounted for 5,856 crashes, 2,739 injuries, and 217 deaths.

The remainder of this section explores truck inspection, injury, and fatality data from some of the largest truck operators in the country. The data is drawn from the FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) for the period between April 2020–April 2022.

  1. Highest Out-of-Service Rates

Out-of-service rates indicate the percentage of inspections a trucking company fails. Trucks cannot be operated on public roads without passing regular inspections.

  • CRST Expedited – 19.3%
  • B. Hunt Transport – 18.7%
  • YRC Inc. – 18.7%
  • FedEx Ground – 16.3%
  • Swift Transportation – 16.3%

  1. Highest Number of Fatal Truck Accidents

  • FedEx Ground – 80
  • UPS – 67
  • B. Hunt Transport – 67
  • Swift Transportation – 44
  • FedEx Freight – 28

  1. Highest Number of Truck Accidents Resulting in Injury

  • UPS – 1,053
  • FedEx Ground – 911
  • B. Hunt Transport – 534
  • Swift Transportation – 296
  • Werner Enterprises – 274

  1. Highest Fatal Truck Accident Rates (Per Million Vehicle Miles Traveled)

  • Averitt Express – .022
  • YRC Inc. – .021
  • US Xpress – .018
  • XPO Logistics Freight – .015
  • B. Hunt Transport – .015

  1. Highest Rate of Truck Accidents Resulting in Injury (Per Million Vehicle Miles Traveled)

  • YRC Inc. – .19
  • B. Hunt Transport – .184
  • US Xpress – .173
  • UPS – .158
  • Averitt Express – .151

Who Can Be Liable in a Truck Accident?

Anyone who contributed to the underlying cause of an accident can be held liable for compensating injured parties. Because they frequently involve more at-fault parties than just the drivers directly involved in the crash, commercial truck accidents are often much more complex than auto accidents involving noncommercial passenger vehicles. Potential at-fault parties in a commercial truck accident include:

  • Truck driver – Of course, as in any auto accident, the drivers involved in a truck accident may be directly liable when their actions give rise to an accident. Because large commercial trucks are more dangerous than most other vehicles when involved in an accident, truck drivers must obtain specialized licensing and training. To reduce the risk of accidents caused by driver fatigue, they must also comply with federal hours-of-service regulations.
  • Trucking company – When a trucking company hires truck drivers as employees, they may be held vicariously liable for accidents caused by the drivers while operating in the scope of their employment. They may also be liable when they fail to properly train or supervise their drivers. For example, if a trucking company encourages its drivers to go beyond their hours-of-service limits in order to make deliveries more quickly, the company may be on the hook in the event of an accident.
  • Cargo loader – To ensure safety, commercial trucks must be loaded according to federal cargo securement rules. For example, drivers must comply with restrictions on cargo weight and dimensions, as well as use certain equipment to make sure cargo is properly tied down. Whoever is responsible for making sure these rules are followed can be held liable when failure to do so leads to an accident.
  • Maintenance crew – Truck drivers and companies must make sure that their trucks are safe to operate on the road by conducting regular maintenance. When poor maintenance leads to an accident, the maintenance crew responsible for performing the work may be held responsible for resulting injuries and losses. Some trucking companies have in-house maintenance crews, whereas others use third-party contractors.
  • Cab/Trailer Owner – Many trucking companies rent their commercial truck cabs and trailers. If the cause of a truck accident originates with the owner of a rented cab or trailer, the owner may be held liable for resulting injuries and losses.
  • Truck manufacturer – Commercial truck and parts manufacturers are responsible for making sure the products they sell are safe to use. Failure to do so may lead to product liability when a design or manufacturing defect causes an accident.

Depending on the accident, it may be difficult to assign liability to just one party. Multiple defendants may be held jointly liable if they all share fault. Either way, large trucking companies and their insurers will fight vigorously as they try to shift the blame, especially in high-value cases. The injury attorneys at Spiva Law Group will not stand down.

Is There a Deadline to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Georgia?

Yes. In most cases, the governing statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of a truck accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party. If your case is filed after the deadline, the opposing party will move to have it dismissed for untimeliness, a request a court is required to grant subject to very few exceptions.

Your primary source of leverage during settlement negotiations with the at-fault party and their insurers is your ability to sue if a satisfactory out-of-court settlement cannot be reached. Therefore, even if you never actually file your case in court, your chances of securing satisfactory compensation for your injuries will be severely compromised if you lose the ability to do so.

If this happens, you will have little means to push back when the opposing party makes their minimum offer. Insurers may even deny your claim altogether. Avoid painting yourself into this corner by speaking to an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.

Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Today

Because large trucks present a heightened danger to other drivers on the road, commercial truck drivers are required to comply with many state and federal safety regulations. Even so, thousands of truck accidents happen every year. If you were injured in one of these accidents at little to no fault of your own, you are likely entitled to compensation and should not wait to speak with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

For over three decades, Spiva Law Group has helped injury victims across Georgia secure the justice and compensation they deserve. Our legal team has the necessary skill, experience, and resources to help you too. Contact us today for a free consultation with a truck accident lawyer in Georgia.