U.S. States Most Exposed by Hazardous Materials Transport Incidents
Photo Credit: Nicholas J Klein / Shutterstock
Hazardous materials move through the U.S. economy every day—by truck, rail, air, and water—supporting industries ranging from manufacturing to energy. But when incidents occur during transit, the consequences can be significant, including chemical spills, fires, environmental damage, and supply chain disruptions. Federal data shows that these incidents are not rare events; rather, they represent a persistent operational and regulatory challenge tied to the scale and complexity of modern logistics networks.
While the transportation of hazardous materials is governed by a detailed federal framework, incident data suggests that compliance gaps remain a consistent issue. Common factors include packaging failures, improper hazard communication, and errors in shipping documentation—issues that can arise at multiple points across the supply chain. As shipment volumes grow alongside industrial activity and e-commerce logistics, even small breakdowns in compliance can scale into broader safety and operational risks.
In response, regulators have taken steps to strengthen enforcement. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), increased maximum civil penalties effective in 2025, with fines exceeding $100,000 per violation and substantially higher penalties in cases involving injury or significant damage. These updates reflect an effort to reinforce accountability as hazmat transportation becomes more complex. Within this context, industry stakeholders increasingly point to digital compliance tools—such as Safety Data Sheet (SDS) management software—as a way to improve documentation accuracy, standardize hazard communication, and reduce the likelihood of violations during transit.
This analysis, conducted by Trace One—a provider of SDS, regulatory compliance, and PLM software for the chemicals, food and beverage, and cosmetics sectors—examines the current trajectory of hazardous materials transportation incidents, detailing their geographic distribution and overall impact.
Here are the key takeaways from the analysis:
- Hazmat transit incidents are rising sharply. Driven by greater volumes of hazardous materials moving through U.S. supply chains, hazmat transit incidents have surged 84.8% since 2010, reaching 27,355 annual cases in 2025.
- Highways drive most hazmat incidents. Highway transport accounts for 119,346 incidents from April 2021 to April 2026, far exceeding air, rail, and water, while corrosives and flammable liquids make up the majority of cases—concentrating risk along heavily traveled roadways.
- Industry and geography shape risk distribution. Large industrial states like Texas, California, and Illinois report the highest total incidents, while smaller states such as Alaska, Kansas, and Connecticut see higher per-capita rates—highlighting how shipment volume, industrial activity, and geography all influence exposure.
- Catastrophic events amplify damage totals. Ohio’s $920.8 million in damages during the 5-year period ending on April 1, 2026—nearly 30 times higher than any other state—is largely tied to the catastrophic East Palestine derailment. This highlights how a single large-scale incident can dominate multi-year financial impact.
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