Fairbanks, AK truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Fairbanks: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Fairbanks 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 |
Fairbanks North Star Borough sits below Alaska on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Alaska on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
What stands out in Fairbanks North Star Borough: January the month with the most truck crashes: 20.7% of the year's total.
Overview
Fairbanks North Star Borough has recorded 29 truck crashes since 2015, with 11 people injured and 10 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 137 days in fully reported years.
Only 12 truck crashes were reported in Fairbanks since 2015; patterns below come from Fairbanks North Star Borough as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 20.7% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (3.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 66.7% of truck crashes, against 54.5% across Alaska.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (13.8%).
66.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 50.3% across Alaska.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Fairbanks since 2015: Chena Hot Springs Rd (1), Old Steese Hwy (1), SR-2 (1) and SR-3 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Route planning tips for Fairbanks fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Fairbanks North Star Borough.
- With 66.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Alaska), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Fairbanks North Star Borough
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Chena Hot Springs Rd | 1 |
| Old Steese Hwy | 1 |
| SR-2 | 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 |
Fairbanks at a glance
| Population | 31,732 |
| Land area | 31.8 sq mi |
| Density | 998 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 99703) | $68,667 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 1 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Fairbanks
How many truck crashes happen in Fairbanks?
29 truck crashes have been reported in Fairbanks North Star Borough since 2015, with 10 deaths and 11 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Fairbanks?
January has the most truck crashes in Fairbanks North Star Borough, 20.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Fairbanks?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Fairbanks North Star Borough since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Fairbanks compare with Alaska?
Fairbanks North Star Borough records 2.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 5.7 across Alaska.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Fairbanks?
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.