U.S. Hazmat Transit Incidents by Material and Transit Mode
The vast majority of hazmat transit incidents involve highway shipments of corrosives and flammables
Source: Trace One analysis of U.S. Department of Transportation data
Hazmat incidents in transit are heavily concentrated in highway transportation, underscoring the central role of trucking in moving hazardous goods across the U.S. Between April 1, 2021 and April 1, 2026, highway shipments accounted for 119,346 incidents, far exceeding other modes such as air (8,106), rail (1,684), and water (37). This imbalance reflects both the scale and frequency of truck-based logistics, which serve as the backbone of domestic supply chains and often operate across densely populated corridors.
In terms of material type, incidents are similarly concentrated among a small number of commonly transported substances. Over the same period, corrosive materials (54,213 incidents) and flammable liquids (52,575 incidents) accounted for the majority of cases, with a notable drop-off to the next categories such as oxidizing substances (9,816) and gases (5,200). These materials are widely used across industries—from fuel distribution to manufacturing—making them among the most frequently transported hazardous goods and, consequently, the most commonly involved in transit-related incidents.
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