The holiday season brings joy and family gatherings, but it also creates the most dangerous conditions for highway travel. Fatal truck accidents during the Thanksgiving 2023 holiday period reached an all-time high, up 48% from the previous year, according to a comprehensive analysis from Munley Law about truck safety across America,
The reason is simple: holiday shipping season collides with peak family travel. Every package ordered online means another truck on the highway, another exhausted driver pushing to meet delivery deadlines, another 80,000-pound vehicle sharing congested roads. When a large truck and a regular car collide, 97% of all occupant fatalities are the occupants of the passenger vehicle.
The study from Munley Law examined federal data across eight safety indicators to identify America’s most dangerous states for truck travel. Wyoming ranks worst nationally, posting 2.89 fatal truck deaths per 100,000 residents and 143.29 nonfatal crashes per 100,000—both the highest rates in America. Iowa ranks second-worst with 3,579.62 roadside inspection violations per 100,000 residents, while Montana takes third-worst, struggling particularly with licensing compliance and impairment issues.
The geographic pattern is stark: the Great Plains, Mountain West, and parts of the South face the highest risks. These wide-open highways become especially perilous during holiday travel when winter weather, fatigue, and reduced visibility converge.
Hawaii leads the nation in truck safety with just 0.14 fatal truck deaths per 100,000 residents. The East Coast dominates the safe zone: Washington D.C., Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts all maintain strong safety records through better infrastructure and shorter hauling distances.
The deadliest corridors tell their own story. I-35 in Texas saw 38 fatal truck crashes, I-40 in New Mexico recorded 37, and I-10 in Arizona had 32. Nationwide, I-10 leads all roads with 122 fatal truck crashes across eight states.
Large truck crashes are nearly five times more likely to result in fatalities than the average accident. In 2024, 4,574 people were killed in accidents involving large trucks.
As men who pride ourselves on protecting our families, we need to adjust our behavior this holiday season:
Plan differently. Avoid peak travel times when exhausted truckers and holiday drivers share congested highways. Check your route against high-risk corridors.
Drive defensively. Give trucks extra space, especially in winter conditions. Never cut in front of a truck after passing—if you can’t see their mirrors, they can’t see you.
Manage expectations. That two-day shipping promise comes at a human cost. Consider whether you really need overnight delivery during the busiest shipping season of the year.
Stay alert. The data shows that 8.4% of truck crashes involve equipment failure or cargo issues—factors that create unpredictable hazards.
Being a good man means recognizing our responsibility to every other driver on the road. This holiday season, drive like someone you love is in every vehicle around you. Because someone does love them.
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This post brought to you by Shahzad Ali
Photo: iStock
