Which Trucks Cause the Most Accidents in San Antonio and the Hill Country?
Federal crash data show that box-trailer 18-wheelers and box trucks are involved in more deadly crashes than any other type of truck, followed by flatbeds, dump trucks and tankers, and all four are everyday traffic in San Antonio and the Hill Country. This guide ranks the trucks behind the most accidents, explains why each one is dangerous and shows what to do if one hits you.
These trucks fill local roads because border freight, construction, quarries and oilfields keep them moving. If one has hurt you, call JRE Injury Law at (210) 272-0101 for a free consultation in English or Spanish.
How many truck accidents happen in San Antonio and the Hill Country?
Truck and other commercial vehicle crashes happen about seven times a day in Bexar County. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) counted 2,581 of them in 2025, and those crashes killed 16 people and seriously injured 37 more.
A commercial motor vehicle is a large truck or bus used for business. In 2025, TxDOT also recorded 392 commercial vehicle crashes in Guadalupe County, 222 in Comal County and 55 in Kendall County, where seven people died.
Texas leads the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 705 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes in Texas in 2023, more than any other state. Of the 730 people killed in those crashes, 577 were not riding in the truck.
Which trucks cause the most accidents?
Box-trailer 18-wheelers and box trucks are involved in the most deadly accidents, followed by flatbeds, dump trucks and tankers. The ranking below comes from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) count of large trucks in fatal crashes by body type in 2020.
| Truck type | Share of U.S. large trucks in fatal crashes (2020) | Where you see them around San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Box trailers and box trucks | 39.6% | I-35, I-10, Loop 410 and neighborhood deliveries |
| Flatbeds | 10.9% | Construction sites and Eagle Ford equipment routes |
| Dump trucks | 8.4% | Quarry routes north of Loop 1604 |
| Tankers | 5.9% | Fuel runs and Eagle Ford crude hauling |
| Gravel and grain haulers | 3.1% | Hill Country highways and farm-to-market roads |
| Garbage trucks | 1.7% | Residential streets |
| Cement mixers | 1.0% | New subdivisions near Boerne and New Braunfels |
Not shown: other and unknown body types, and tractors running without a trailer (4.5%).
1. Box-trailer 18-wheelers and box trucks
Enclosed box trailers and box trucks top the list, and they are everywhere in San Antonio because I-35 is the main truck route north from Laredo. Laredo is the busiest truck crossing on the Mexican border, and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics counted 3,026,632 trucks entering there in 2024.
A loaded 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. The FMCSA says big trucks need up to 40% more distance to stop than cars and have large blind spots, called No-Zones, on all four sides. Smaller box trucks add risk on Loop 410, I-10 East and neighborhood streets, where delivery drivers stop often and back up.
2. Flatbed trucks
Flatbed trucks rank second, and their biggest danger is the load itself. Steel, pipe and lumber ride in the open, so a weak tie-down can drop cargo into traffic, which is why federal cargo securement rules in 49 CFR Part 393 set how loads must be tied down.
Around San Antonio, flatbeds haul building materials to fast-growing suburbs and pipe and equipment to the Eagle Ford Shale in counties such as Atascosa and Karnes.
3. Dump trucks
Dump trucks rank third, and they are common north of the city because the Hill Country sits on limestone that quarries crush into gravel for roads and new homes. Loaded dump trucks share busy routes such as US-281 and SH-46 with commuters.
Loose rock can fly off a load and crack a windshield. Chapter 725 of the Texas Transportation Code requires loads of loose material, such as gravel, to be covered or secured.
4. Tankers
Tankers rank fourth, and their liquid cargo makes them prone to rollovers because the load shifts in turns. A spill of fuel or crude oil can also catch fire.
Locally, tankers make daily fuel runs to gas stations and haul crude oil and water across the Eagle Ford oilfields south and southeast of San Antonio.
Other trucks to watch: gravel haulers, garbage trucks and cement mixers
Gravel haulers, garbage trucks and cement mixers show up in fewer crashes, but they are common on local roads. Ready-mix trucks follow new subdivisions, and U.S. Census Bureau estimates show Comal County grew 29.6% between 2020 and 2025, to 209,166 residents. A loaded mixer carries a heavy, rotating load high off the ground, which raises the risk of a rollover on curves and ramps.
Hurt by one of these trucks? Call (210) 272-0101 to talk with our team today.
Who is responsible when a commercial truck hits you?
The driver, the driver’s employer, the company that loaded the cargo and the company that maintained the truck can all share responsibility for a commercial vehicle accident. Texas law generally holds an employer responsible for a driver working in the “course and scope” of the job, meaning the driver was doing the employer’s work when the crash happened.
Federal rules add more layers. FMCSA hours-of-service rules in 49 CFR Part 395 limit how long a trucker can drive, and most drivers track those hours on an electronic logging device (ELD). Part 396 requires regular inspection and maintenance.
Trucks also carry bigger insurance policies. Under 49 CFR 387.9, interstate for-hire trucks hauling general freight must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage, and their insurers work hard to protect it.
What should you do after a truck accident?
After a truck accident, protect your health first and your claim second.
- Call 911 and get medical care, even if you feel fine.
- Photograph the truck, the company name, the scene and the USDOT number, which is the ID number on the truck’s door.
- Get the driver’s name, employer and insurance information.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer.
- Call a lawyer quickly so a preservation letter can go out. This letter tells the trucking company not to destroy ELD records, dash camera video and other evidence.
Why call JRE Injury Law after a commercial vehicle accident?
You should call JRE Injury Law because commercial vehicle claims are our top priority, and we know how trucking companies and their insurers fight them. Founder Joseph R. Echavarria is a San Antonio native and a former Assistant Criminal District Attorney in Bexar County. Mr. Echavarria has recovered tens of millions of dollars for injured clients.
Clients give us 5.0 stars across 343 Google reviews, and many say Mr. Echavarria personally returns their calls. We arrange chiropractic care, physical therapy, imaging and doctor visits so you can focus on healing, and we handle your vehicle repair or total-loss payout.
Our Of Counsel attorneys add trial depth. Ethan L. Shaw, a partner at Shaw Cowart, LLP and Of Counsel to JRE Injury Law, is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. With co-counsel Tom Rhodes, he won a jury verdict of about $70 million against an insurer in Tate v. Discover Property & Casualty, tried in Bexar County in 2009. As lead counsel in Youngblood v. Fell, he also obtained a confidential settlement in a wrongful death case after a rental-truck crash killed four people.
Edmundo Leandro III, Of Counsel to JRE Injury Law, has tried cases for insurance companies at his firm, Lawler • Leandro, so he knows how adjusters value and fight claims. Jorge Mares, Of Counsel to JRE Injury Law, worked with David Fuentes to obtain a $2.25 million settlement for a father and son hurt in a T-bone crash after the employer denied its driver was on the job.
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case is different and depends on its own facts.
JRE Injury Law is based in San Antonio and serves Boerne, New Braunfels, Kerrville and the surrounding Hill Country. You pay nothing unless we win. Call (210) 272-0101 or toll-free (844) 702-0350 for your free case review today.
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