Collin County Car Wrecks: Serious Injuries Rise in First Half of 2026

Collin County continues to experience thousands of car and truck wrecks on roads running through Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Wylie, Celina, Princeton, Melissa, and other North Texas communities.

During the first half of 2026, Collin County recorded 8,044 crashes involving 16,414 units and 21,113 people.

That was almost identical to the first half of 2025, when the county recorded 8,074 crashes involving 16,578 units and 21,782 people.

At first glance, the numbers appear encouraging. Overall crashes declined slightly.

But the injury data tells a more complicated story.

While total reported injuries and deaths declined, suspected serious injuries increased from 149 to 212—an increase of approximately 42.3%.

Commercial motor vehicle crashes showed an even more dramatic change. Suspected serious injuries associated with CMV crashes increased from 8 in 2025 to 17 in 2026, an increase of approximately 112.5%.

For someone injured in a Collin County wreck, the total number of crashes is only part of the story. A single collision can result in surgery, permanent impairment, months or years of medical treatment, lost income, or the loss of a loved one.

The Wooley Law Firm represents people injured in serious car and commercial vehicle crashes throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. If you were injured because of another driver's negligence, learn more about how a Dallas car accident lawyer can investigate a serious North Texas collision.

Collin County Crashes Stayed Almost Flat in Early 2026

The total number of crashes barely changed between the first six months of 2025 and the first six months of 2026.

First Half of 2025

• 8,074 crashes

• 16,578 units involved

• 21,782 persons involved

• 3,904 injuries

• 149 suspected serious injuries

• 37 deaths

First Half of 2026

• 8,044 crashes

• 16,414 units involved

• 21,113 persons involved

• 3,491 injuries

• 212 suspected serious injuries

• 34 deaths

That represents approximately:

• 0.4% fewer crashes

• 1.0% fewer units involved

• 3.1% fewer people involved

• 10.6% fewer reported injuries

• 42.3% more suspected serious injuries

• 8.1% fewer deaths

The most significant change may be the increase in serious injuries.

Collin County experienced 30 fewer crashes overall, yet there were 63 more suspected serious injuries.

That illustrates why looking only at the total number of wrecks can hide important changes in crash severity.

For comparison, readers can also review our analysis of Dallas County car wrecks during the first half of 2026.

Suspected Serious Injuries Increased More Than 42%

There were 149 suspected serious injuries reported in Collin County during the first half of 2025.

During the first half of 2026, that number increased to 212.

That represents an increase of approximately 42.3% in one year.

Serious car wreck injuries may include traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, broken bones, internal injuries, severe orthopedic injuries, amputations, burns, and other conditions that can permanently affect a person's health, ability to work, or independence.

For example, a person may initially be focused on an emergency room visit and repairing or replacing a vehicle. Days or weeks later, that same person may be dealing with surgery, rehabilitation, missed work, pain management, or permanent physical limitations.

A traumatic brain injury after a Dallas or North Texas car or truck wreck may also involve symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, memory problems, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and sleep changes that are not always obvious at the crash scene.

Serious orthopedic trauma is also common after high-force collisions. Our firm has additional information about leg injuries after a Dallas car accident and rib fractures after a Dallas car accident.

A serious injury claim should be evaluated based on the full effect the injury may have on the person's health, work, family, and future—not simply the amount of the first medical bill.

Commercial Vehicle Crashes Increased in Collin County

Collin County also saw an increase in crashes involving commercial motor vehicles.

First Half of 2025

• 379 CMV crashes

• 108 injuries

• 8 suspected serious injuries

• 4 deaths

First Half of 2026

• 388 CMV crashes

• 115 injuries

• 17 suspected serious injuries

• 2 deaths

That represents:

• 2.4% more CMV crashes

• 6.5% more injuries

• 112.5% more suspected serious injuries

• 50% fewer deaths

The increase in suspected serious injuries is particularly notable.

Commercial vehicle crashes may involve tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, delivery trucks, box trucks, construction trucks, dump trucks, company vehicles, and other vehicles being operated commercially.

These claims can be substantially different from ordinary passenger-car accident cases.

An investigation may involve:

• Electronic logging devices

• Driver qualification files

• Hours-of-service records

• Onboard cameras

• GPS and telematics data

• Maintenance records

• Inspection records

• Dispatch communications

• Driver training records

• Cargo information

• Company safety policies

If you were injured by a tractor-trailer or another large commercial vehicle, our Dallas-Fort Worth 18-wheeler accident lawyer page explains more about how trucking cases are investigated and why evidence controlled by the motor carrier can matter.

Plano Had the Most Crashes in Collin County

Plano continued to account for more reported Collin County crashes than any other city in the data.

During the first half of 2025, Plano recorded 2,853 crashes. During the same period in 2026, it recorded 2,776 crashes.

That represents a decrease of approximately 2.7%, although Plano still accounted for roughly one-third of all crashes reported in the county.

The largest city totals for the first half of 2026 were:

• Plano — 2,776 crashes

• Frisco — 1,108

• McKinney — 765

• Allen — 477

• Outside city limits — 415

• Wylie — 351

• Dallas — 345

• Richardson — 235

• Princeton — 214

• Celina — 211

• Melissa — 200

• Anna — 167

• Prosper — 137

• Fairview — 120

• Murphy — 95

The numbers show that significant crash activity is not limited to Collin County's largest cities.

Crashes Increased in Several Growing Collin County Communities

Some of Collin County's larger cities recorded fewer crashes during the first half of 2026.

Plano decreased approximately 2.7%, Frisco decreased approximately 1.6%, McKinney decreased approximately 2.5%, and Allen decreased approximately 10.8%.

Several other communities moved in the opposite direction.

Melissa Car Wrecks Increased 37%

Melissa increased from 146 crashes in 2025 to 200 in 2026, an increase of approximately 37.0%.

Princeton Car Wrecks Increased 22%

Princeton increased from 175 crashes to 214, an increase of approximately 22.3%.

Celina Car Wrecks Increased 17%

Celina increased from 181 crashes to 211, an increase of approximately 16.6%.

Wylie Car Wrecks Increased 14%

Wylie increased from 308 crashes to 351, an increase of approximately 14.0%.

Fairview Car Wrecks Increased 46%

Fairview increased from 82 crashes to 120, an increase of approximately 46.3%.

These numbers do not establish why crashes increased in any particular city. Population growth, traffic volume, development, construction, commuting patterns, roadway design, reporting differences, and many other factors could affect the totals.

What the data does show is that Collin County's overall crash total can remain almost unchanged while individual communities experience substantially different trends.

U.S. 75 Had the Most Crashes in Collin County

U.S. 75 remained the roadway with the largest number of reported crashes in the Collin County data during the first half of 2026.

The leading roadways were:

• U.S. 75 — 817 crashes

• Dallas North Tollway — 581

• SH 289 / Preston Road — 451

• SH 121 — 422

• U.S. 380 — 371

• Coit Road — 240

• SH 78 — 224

• Parker Road — 216

• SH 190 — 161

• Legacy Drive — 148

• Park Boulevard — 145

• Plano Parkway — 134

• President George Bush Turnpike — 128

• Custer Road — 126

• Spring Creek Parkway — 119

• SH 5 — 107

• FM 544 — 107

• Independence Parkway — 102

Many of these highways and arterial roads carry commuters between Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Richardson, Prosper, Dallas, and surrounding North Texas communities.

U.S. 75 Crashes Declined but Remained the Highest in the County

U.S. 75 had 877 crashes during the first half of 2025 and 817 during the first half of 2026.

That is a decrease of approximately 6.8%.

Despite the decline, more crashes occurred on U.S. 75 than on any other roadway in the Collin County data.

Crashes on major highways can involve high speeds, multiple vehicles, sudden traffic backups, lane changes, commercial trucks, and severe impacts.

If you were injured in a U.S. 75 wreck, the evidence from the particular collision—not the roadway's overall statistics—will determine issues such as fault and damages.

Dallas North Tollway Crashes Declined Approximately 11%

The Dallas North Tollway recorded 651 crashes during the first half of 2025.

That number fell to 581 during the first half of 2026, a decrease of approximately 10.8%.

Despite the decrease, the Dallas North Tollway remained the roadway with the second-highest crash count in the Collin County data.

Preston Road and U.S. 380 Also Had Hundreds of Wrecks

SH 289, commonly associated with the Preston Road corridor, recorded 451 crashes during the first half of 2026, down from 481 in 2025.

U.S. 380 recorded 371 crashes, down from 422.

U.S. 380 is an especially important east-west route through growing portions of Collin County, including areas around McKinney and Princeton.

A lower annual or semiannual crash count does not mean a road is safe or that serious collisions no longer occur there. Hundreds of wrecks still occurred on each corridor in only six months.

SH 121, Parker Road, and Custer Road Saw More Crashes

Not every major roadway experienced a decline.

SH 121

Crashes increased from 389 to 422, approximately 8.5%.

Parker Road

Crashes increased from 187 to 216, approximately 15.5%.

Custer Road

Crashes increased from 109 to 126, approximately 15.6%.

FM 544

Crashes increased from 99 to 107, approximately 8.1%.

Independence Parkway

Crashes increased from 98 to 102, approximately 4.1%.

These statistics alone cannot establish why collisions increased on a particular roadway. Determining the cause of an individual crash requires examining the circumstances and evidence from that wreck.

What the Collin County Crash Data Can—and Cannot—Tell Us

Crash statistics are useful for identifying patterns, but they have limitations.

A crash count does not tell us who caused a collision.

It does not tell us whether a driver was distracted, speeding, intoxicated, following too closely, running a red light, making an unsafe lane change, or failing to yield.

It also does not establish whether a commercial carrier negligently hired or trained a driver, pressured a truck driver to violate safety rules, failed to maintain a truck, or committed some other act of negligence.

Those issues must be investigated in the individual case.

The Texas Department of Transportation maintains the state's Crash Records Information System and crash-data resources, which allow crash trends to be studied at the state and local level.

For an injured person, however, countywide statistics are secondary to the evidence from the actual collision.

Evidence That May Matter After a Collin County Car Wreck

Depending on the circumstances, important evidence may include:

• Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report

• Crash-scene photographs

• Vehicle photographs

• Dash-camera footage

• Nearby business surveillance

• Traffic-camera footage

• 911 recordings

• Witness statements

• Cellphone information

• Vehicle event data recorder information

• Medical records

• Ambulance records

• Employment and wage-loss documentation

Commercial vehicle cases may involve additional evidence such as:

• Electronic logging device data

• Driver qualification files

• Hours-of-service records

• Onboard video

• GPS and telematics information

• Maintenance and inspection records

• Dispatch communications

• Driver training records

• Cargo records

• Trucking-company policies

Some electronic evidence may not be preserved indefinitely. Serious commercial vehicle collisions should therefore be investigated with evidence preservation in mind.

What Should You Do After a Collin County Car Accident?

If you were injured in a Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Wylie, Celina, Princeton, Melissa, or other Collin County crash, focus first on your health and safety.

Seek appropriate medical attention and pay attention to symptoms that appear later.

It is possible to feel relatively normal immediately after a collision and develop pain, headaches, stiffness, numbness, dizziness, or other symptoms later. Our guide explains why you may still need medical evaluation even if you initially feel fine after a Texas car accident.

You should also preserve:

• Photographs and video

• Insurance information

• Witness information

• Medical records and bills

• Repair estimates

• Tow records

• Receipts for accident-related expenses

• Communications with insurance companies

Be cautious about signing releases or accepting an early settlement before you understand the nature of your injuries and whether additional treatment may be necessary.

What Compensation May Be Available After a Collin County Car Wreck?

Depending on the circumstances and Texas law, an injured person may be able to pursue compensation for losses including:

• Medical expenses

• Future medical treatment

• Lost wages

• Loss of earning capacity

• Physical pain

• Mental anguish

• Physical impairment

• Disfigurement

• Property damage

When a collision causes a death, qualifying family members may also have potential wrongful death claims.

The amount that may be recoverable depends on the evidence, insurance coverage, liability, injuries, damages, and other circumstances. Every case is different.

Collin County Car Accident Lawyer for Serious Injury Claims

After a serious Collin County wreck, an injured person may be dealing with medical bills, missed work, pain, vehicle damage, insurance adjusters, and uncertainty about what comes next.

Meanwhile, an insurance company may begin investigating the collision almost immediately.

The injured person should be able to investigate it too.

The Wooley Law Firm helps people investigate serious car wrecks, commercial vehicle collisions, and injury claims throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. Depending on the case, that may include obtaining crash reports, identifying witnesses, preserving video and electronic evidence, reviewing available insurance coverage, documenting medical treatment and lost income, negotiating with insurance companies, and filing a lawsuit when necessary.

Learn more about how The Wooley Law Firm handles Dallas and North Texas car accident claims.

If the collision involved an 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, delivery truck, or other commercial vehicle, visit our 18-wheeler accident lawyer page for additional information about trucking-company liability and truck-crash investigations.

If you were injured in a Collin County car accident, U.S. 75 crash, Dallas North Tollway wreck, Preston Road collision, SH 121 accident, U.S. 380 wreck, or a serious collision in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Wylie, Celina, Princeton, Melissa, or another Collin County community, you may have the right to seek justice and pursue compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, mental anguish, impairment, and other damages.

Call (214) 699-6524 for a free consultation. You don’t pay unless we win.

Frequently Asked Questions About Collin County Car Wrecks

How many crashes occurred in Collin County during the first half of 2026?

Collin County recorded 8,044 crashes during the first half of 2026. Those crashes involved 16,414 units and 21,113 people.

Did Collin County car crashes increase in 2026?

Overall crashes decreased slightly, from 8,074 during the first half of 2025 to 8,044 during the first half of 2026—a decline of approximately 0.4%.

However, suspected serious injuries increased approximately 42.3%, from 149 to 212.

Which Collin County city had the most car wrecks?

Plano had the most reported crashes in the data, with 2,776 during the first half of 2026. Frisco was next with 1,108, followed by McKinney with 765.

Which road had the most crashes in Collin County?

U.S. 75 had the most reported crashes, with 817 during the first half of 2026. The Dallas North Tollway was second with 581, followed by SH 289/Preston Road with 451.

Did commercial truck crashes increase in Collin County?

Yes. CMV crashes increased from 379 to 388, approximately 2.4%. Injuries increased from 108 to 115, while suspected serious injuries increased from 8 to 17.

For more information about these cases, see our guide to 18-wheeler and commercial truck wreck claims.

Do I need a lawyer after every Collin County car accident?

Not every collision requires an attorney. Speaking with a lawyer may be particularly useful when a wreck involves serious injuries, surgery, disputed liability, permanent impairment, substantial lost income, an 18-wheeler or commercial vehicle, multiple vehicles, or an insurance company that disputes or undervalues the claim.

Data and Source Note

The numerical comparisons in this article are based on Collin County crash data for the first halves of 2025 and 2026.

The Texas Department of Transportation maintains the Crash Records Information System (CRIS) and crash-data analysis resources.

Because 2026 is an active reporting year, crash information may later be updated or supplemented. The figures in this article reflect the dataset used for this analysis and should not be interpreted as final full-year totals.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.