Commercial Motor Vehicle Accidents. Most common types in 2025

In the transportation industry, it’s crucial to understand the risks and prevention strategies for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) accidents. Fatal crashes involving big trucks have increased by 49% over the last 10 years, with 5,837 in the last year. The cost of these accidents is huge, $1.78 million per fatal crash. Upcoming safety regulations, like mandatory Automatic Emergency Braking and speed limiters in 2025 will help reduce accident rates. This guide covers the top 10 types of CMV accidents and how to prevent them.

What Are the Most Common CMV Accidents?

Let’s look at the 10 most common types of commercial motor vehicle accidents and what causes them:

1. Rear-End Collisions Big trucks take much longer to stop than passenger cars. These accidents happen when:
   • A CMV can’t stop in time to avoid a vehicle ahead
   • Another vehicle cuts in front of a truck
   • Traffic patterns change suddenly
   • Driver is tired or distracted
2. Side-Impact Collisions (T-bone Accidents) These happen at intersections and are usually caused by:
   • Failure to yield
   • Running red lights or stop signs
   • Limited visibility
3. Rollovers Rollovers are the most hazardous accidents and are caused by:
   • Excessive speed on curves
   • Incorrect weight distribution
   • Emergency maneuvers
   • Cargo shifting
4. Jackknife Accidents These look like a folding pocket knife and happen when:
   • Hard braking, especially on slippery roads
   • Poor road conditions
   • Driver error when maneuvering
5. Blind Spot Accidents CMVs have big “No-Zones” where smaller vehicles are not visible to the driver. These accidents happen when:
   • Changing lanes
   • Merging onto highways
   • Making wide turns
6. Underride Collisions These are the most deadly, when a smaller vehicle gets lodged under a CMV trailer. Prevention strategies include:
   • Installing underride guards
   • Using reflective markers and proper lighting
7. Lost Load Accidents Cargo-related crashes are from:
   • Improperly securing loads * Exceeding weight limits
   • Faulty securing equipment
8. Wide Turn Accidents When a CMV swings wide to turn, these accidents can be prevented by:
   • Using turn signals
   • Increased driver awareness
   • Not cutting corners too sharp
9. Head-On Collisions Although rare, these are the deadliest and are caused by:
   • Driver fatigue or drowsiness
   • Wrong-way driving
   • Loss of vehicle control due to poor road conditions
10. Bridge Strikes Expensive to repair and potentially deadly, bridge strikes happen when:

• Height restrictions are ignored
• Route planning is poor
• Drivers don’t check bridge clearances

How to Prevent CMV Accidents

Preventing CMV accidents requires a combination of training, technology and regulatory compliance. Here are the key strategies to reduce risk:

Driver Training & Fatigue Management

• Defensive driving courses focus on hazard perception and safe vehicle operation.
• Fatigue management programs reduce drowsy driving incidents.
• Updated training programs cover inclement weather and high-risk scenarios.

Vehicle Maintenance & Safety Inspections

• Regular inspections ensure brake systems, tires and lights are working properly.
• Federal regulations require annual inspections and daily pre-trip checks.
• AI-driven monitoring systems alert drivers to potential vehicle issues.

Advanced Safety Technologies

• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): Mandatory by 2025, AEB systems prevent rear-end collisions by applying brakes automatically.
• Speed Limiters: Set to be required in 2025, these devices limit CMV speeds to reduce crash severity.
• Driver Monitoring Systems: Detect fatigue and distraction, alert drivers before an accident happens.
• Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communication: Exchanges real-time data between vehicles and infrastructure for better situational awareness.

Regulatory Changes & Compliance

• FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) evaluates carriers’ safety performance using on-road data and violations.
• Trucking companies must update their compliance programs for upcoming ELD (Electronic Logging Device) requirements for pre-2000 engines.
• MC Numbers for registration will be eliminated in October 2025.* High-Risk States: Texas, California, and Florida have the highest CMV accident rates due to high volumes of freight.
• Peak Accident Seasons: September to December sees a 5% increase in fatal crashes mainly due to holiday demand and winter road conditions.
• Construction Zones: More accidents occur due to narrow lanes and sudden traffic changes.

Cost of CMV Accidents

• Fatal truck accidents cost $1.78 million per crash.
• Disabling injuries from CMV crashes cost $155,000 per case.
• Supply chain disruptions, legal fees and increased insurance premiums weigh on trucking companies.

Preventing CMV accidents is a shared responsibility between drivers, fleet operators, regulators and the public. By combining driver education, regular maintenance, advanced safety technology and regulatory compliance the industry can make a big impact on reducing crash rates.

With Automatic Emergency Braking systems and speed limiters mandatory in 2025 the landscape of CMV safety is changing. Stay informed and adapt to these changes to protect lives and reduce economic losses on the road.