Ester, AK truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ester: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ester and Fairbanks North Star Borough, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Fairbanks North Star Borough numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 29 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Fairbanks North Star Borough compares with Alaska
Fairbanks North Star Borough against Alaska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Fairbanks North Star Borough stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 2.8 | 5.7 | 49.7 | 51% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 20.8 | 11.6 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 34% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 66.7% | 50.3% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 16.7% | 20.4% | 23.7% | 18% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.8% | 20.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 66.7% | 54.5% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 29.2% | 36.0% | 24.8% | 19% below the state |
Compared with Alaska, Fairbanks North Star Borough is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Fairbanks North Star Borough: January 20.7% of truck crashes happen in January, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 29 crashes involving commercial trucks in Fairbanks North Star Borough since 2015: 11 people were injured and 10 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 137 days in fully reported years.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Ester since 2015, this page uses Fairbanks North Star Borough numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 20.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 3.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 66.7% of truck crashes, vs 54.5% for Alaska.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 13.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 66.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Alaska: 50.3%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ester since 2015: George Parks Hwy (1), Old Nenana Hwy (1) and SR-3 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Fairbanks North Star Borough since 2015.
Route planning tips for Ester fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 66.7% of truck crashes here, more than Alaska; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Reporting was incomplete in 2020 and 2021, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Fairbanks North Star Borough
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| George Parks Hwy | 1 |
| Old Nenana Hwy | 1 |
| SR-3 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Fairbanks North Star Borough) |
|---|---|
| Richardson Hwy 50 Ft S From Rolling Stone Crt | 2 |
| Badger Rd. 50 Ft. South Form Glacier State Dr. | 1 |
| Chena Hot Springs Rd .4 Mi West Of Nina Lane | 1 |
| Elliot Hwy 100 Ft. North From Old Elliott Hwy | 1 |
| Elliott Hwy 10 Miles S. From Wichershome Dome Pull | 1 |
| Elliott Hwy At Intersection With Steese Hwy | 1 |
| Elliott Hwy Mp 3 | 1 |
| Gold Mine Trail Road And Sluice Box Road | 1 |
Ester at a glance
| Land area | 64.2 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 99725) | $53,364 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Fairbanks North Star Borough 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 | 5 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 11 | +130% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 8 | -24% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 1 | -85% | 2.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 5 to 1. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ester
How many truck crashes happen in Ester?
Since 2015, 29 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Fairbanks North Star Borough (11 injured, 10 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Ester?
The worst month is January: 20.7% of truck crashes in Fairbanks North Star Borough happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ester?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Fairbanks North Star Borough since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ester compared with Alaska?
Fairbanks North Star Borough records 2.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 5.7 across Alaska.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ester?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
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.