Why are Commercial Truck Crashes Increasing in Ohio?

For years, the expectation was simple: as vehicle technology improves, crashes should decline.

Modern commercial trucks now come equipped with lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance systems, and onboard cameras. These systems are designed to prevent exactly the kinds of catastrophic crashes that devastate families across Ohio.

Yet troubling new data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol crash dashboard suggests something different is happening: Commercial vehicle crashes actually increased in 2025 as opposed to the past years with 17,614 commercial vehicle crashes in Ohio in 2025.  This is over 1,000 more truck crashes in Ohio than each of the prior two years.

However, this suggests that ultimately, driver training and driver behavior are still important in preventing truck crashes.

If you’ve been involved in a crash, our team of truck accident lawyers at Plakas Mannos can help you understand your options and protect your rights. 

The Reality: Crashes Are Not Disappearing

Even with improved safety technology, Ohio continues to see serious crashes caused by fundamental driving failures.

According to recent statewide data, leading causes of commercial vehicle crashes include:

• Driver Fatigue

• Unsafe speed

• Failure to yield

• Following too closely

• Driving left of center

This leads to the question: Why are tractor trailer accidents and other truck accidents increasing when technology designed to prevent crashes has progressed?   

So Why Are Commercial Truck Crashes Increasing?

While Ohio agencies have not yet published a definitive explanation for the 2025 increase, several data-supported and industry-recognized factors help explain the trend:

1. More Trucks on the Road Than Ever

The U.S. economy—and especially e-commerce—has dramatically increased demand for freight movement.

• More online orders = more delivery trucks

• More freight = more long-haul trucking

• More trucks = greater exposure to risk

Even if crash rates per mile improve, total crashes can still rise simply because there are more miles being driven.

2. Driver Distraction from “Safety” Technology

Ironically, the very technology designed to prevent crashes may be contributing to them.

Modern truck cabs are filled with:

• Navigation screens
• Fleet communication systems
• Dispatch tablets
• Safety alerts and notifications  

These systems can create cognitive overload, and messages, warnings, and flashing screens can distract drivers.

Research and real-world crash investigations increasingly show that “eyes off road” time—even for a few seconds—can be catastrophic at highway speeds. For example, a commercial truck driver can drive the length of a football field on the highway in the time it takes to read a text message or evaluate a navigation route change.

3. Overreliance on Driver-Assist Systems

Systems like adaptive cruise control and lane assist are not autonomous driving—but drivers may treat them that way.

This leads to:

• Reduced vigilance
• Slower reaction times
• False confidence in system capabilities

When truck drivers are overly reliant on this technology, they may not expect a hazard or emergency, which may slow their reaction time.

4. Driver Fatigue and Industry Pressure

The trucking industry continues to face:

• Tight delivery deadlines
• Driver shortages
• Long hours on the road

In fact, Ohio has allocated over $150 million to address a lack of rest stops for commercial drivers to address driver fatigue.

5. Rural Roads and High-Speed Risk

This overall increase in tractor trailer traffic may also lead to an increase in truck crashes because a large percentage of commercial vehicle crashes occur in rural areas, where:

• Speeds are higher
• Roads are narrower
• Lighting is limited

In fact, a disproportionate share of truck-related fatal crashes occur on rural roads, where a single mistake can be deadly.

The Bottom Line: Technology Helps—But It Doesn’t Replace Responsibility

The increase in commercial vehicle crashes in 2025 highlights a critical reality: Safety technology is only as effective as the human being using it.

Until issues like distraction, fatigue, and industry pressure are addressed, crashes will continue—even in the most technologically advanced vehicles.

Why This Matters for Injury Victims

When a commercial truck crash or tractor trailer accident occurs, the stakes are enormous: and often lead to catastrophic injuries, life-altering disabilities, or death for Ohio motorists.

Luckily these new technologies aimed at making tractor trailers and commercial vehicles safer, can also be used to help prove what caused a truck crash.  The truck accident attorneys at Plakas Mannos work with a team of trucking safety experts to preserve data that includes:

• Onboard dash camera footage
• Electronic logging device (ELD) data  
• Vehicle telematics
• Cell phone data

This evidence can prove exactly what happened—but only if it is preserved quickly.  

If You’ve Been Injured in a Truck Crash, Act Quickly

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, contact us right away. Speaking with an experienced truck accident lawyer can help protect your rights and preserve critical evidence.

We represent clients throughout:

• Stark County
• Summit County
• Tuscarawas County
• Medina County
• Columbiana County
• And across Northeast Ohio  

The sooner we get involved, the more evidence we can preserve—and the stronger your case will be.

Final Thought

The rise in commercial truck crashes in 2025 is not just a statistic. It’s a warning.

Despite better technology, dangerous conditions still exist on Ohio roads—and accountability matters more than ever to hold dangerous trucking companies and unsafe truck drivers accountable so that the number of trucking accidents in Ohio can start to decrease, instead of going up even with all the technologies available to make safe driving easier.

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