A Snyder High School teacher was killed Friday night when his vehicle was involved in a crash with a tractor-trailer near Pecos, Texas.

Details of the West Texas Trucking Accident

KTAB reports James Carson was killed Friday when he attempted to avoid the oncoming 18-wheeler. The incident occurred on Interstate 20 about 25 miles west of Pecos.

Carson evasive action caused his vehicle to veer off the interstate and cross the service road before coming to rest in a field.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The superintendent of Snyder ISD released a statement on behalf of the district and assured that consoling and support will be made available for faculty, staff, and students.

Texas Trucking Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA):

• 438,000 trucking accidents were recorded in the U.S. in 2014, resulting in 3,903 deaths and 111,000 injuries.
• Of those killed in trucking accidents:
  • 17 percent were occupants of large trucks
  • 73 percent were occupants of other vehicles
  • 10 percent were listed as nonoccupants, including bicyclists and pedestrians
• Texas led the nation in trucking accident fatalities with 553 trucking-related deaths reported. California followed Texas with 300 recorded deaths.