Alaska truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Alaska: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 419 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Alaska compares with United States
Alaska against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Alaska stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Alaska | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 5.7 | 49.7 | 89% below the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 11.6 | 3.4 | 3.4× the US |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.49 | 10% below the US |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 2.3% | 1.2× the US |
| On snow, slush or ice | 50.3% | 6.2% | 8.1× the US |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.4% | 23.7% | 14% below the US |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.9% | 13.8% | 1.5× the US |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 54.5% | 41.9% | 1.3× the US |
| After dark | 36.0% | 24.8% | 1.5× the US |
Alaska sits below the US on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above the US on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Alaska at a glance: 50.3% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (the US: 6.2%).
Overview
Police reported 419 crashes involving commercial trucks in Alaska since 2015: 196 people were injured and 59 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 9 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 15.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 4.1%.
November through March accounts for 54.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in the US.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 6.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 50.3% of truck crashes, compared with 6.2% in the US.
Where crashes happen
SR-1 leads in Alaska with 19 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-3 (18), SR-4 (4) and Richardson Hwy (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 12 of the truck crashes here, or 2.9%, compared with 2.3% in the US.
Route planning tips for Alaska fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use SR-1, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 50.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above the US; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Crash reporting for 2020 and 2021 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Alaska
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Alaska) |
|---|---|
| SR-1 | 19 |
| SR-3 | 18 |
| SR-4 | 4 |
| Richardson Hwy | 3 |
| SR-11 | 3 |
| Kenai Spur Hwy | 2 |
| Knik-Goose Bay Rd | 2 |
| SR-2 | 2 |
| SR-9 | 2 |
| Badger Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Alaska) |
|---|---|
| C Street 5 Feet North Of Tudor | 2 |
| Commerical Dr. And Reeve Blvd. | 2 |
| Richardson Hwy 50 Ft S From Rolling Stone Crt | 2 |
| Richardson Hwy At Meadows Rd | 2 |
| Parks Hwy At Intersection With Mile Marker 73 | 2 |
| Mp 133 Parks Highway | 2 |
| New Seward Highway At Milepost 91 | 2 |
| Milepost 289 Parks Hwy | 2 |
Alaska at a glance
| Population | 740,133 |
| Land area | 571,241.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in Alaska since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14 | — | 5.8 |
| 2000s | 48 | +248% | 6.2 |
| 2010s | 65 | +35% | 5.0 |
| 2020s | 38 | -41% | 9.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 14 a year in the 1990s and 38 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 7.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 9.4 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in Alaska
Largest places in Alaska
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about Alaska
How common are truck crashes in Alaska?
Since 2015, 419 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Alaska (196 injured, 59 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Alaska?
Since 2015, SR-1 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Alaska: 19.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Alaska?
The worst month is December: 15.5% of truck crashes in Alaska happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Alaska?
12 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Alaska since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Alaska compare with the US?
Alaska records 5.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.7 across the US.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Alaska?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2020 and 2021; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.