Lake City, AR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lake City and Craighead County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Craighead County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Craighead County compares with Arkansas
Craighead County against Arkansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Craighead County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Craighead County | Arkansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 71.5 | 92.4 | 49.7 | 23% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.45 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.9% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.1% | 15.4% | 13.8% | 28% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.5% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.9% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 20% below the state |
Craighead County sits below Arkansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Arkansas on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Craighead County at a glance: 1 in 35 crashes involve a garbage truck (27 since 2015), vs 1.6% across Arkansas.
Overview
Since 2015, 979 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Craighead County. They injured 456 people and killed 41.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
Lake City had 12 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Craighead County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 10.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.5% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Arkansas.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 8.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 3.3% in Arkansas.
Where crashes happen
SR-18 leads within 10 miles of Lake City with 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-49 (3), I-555 (2) and CR-NESTLE Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 27 of the truck crashes here, or 2.8%, compared with 1.6% in Arkansas.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (11%).
They recorded 3.8 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Lake City fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Craighead County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-18 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at March schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 24.9% of truck crashes here, more than Arkansas; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Craighead County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-18 | 8 |
| US-49 | 3 |
| I-555 | 2 |
| CR-NESTLE Rd | 1 |
| Cs-Kathleen St | 1 |
| Nestle Rd | 1 |
| SR-214 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Craighead County) |
|---|---|
| Sh18 | 94 |
| I-555 | 67 |
| US-49 | 44 |
| US-63 | 42 |
| US-63N | 34 |
| Sh226 | 31 |
| I-49 | 30 |
| Cst(Red Wolf Boulevard) | 24 |
Lake City at a glance
| Population | 2,727 |
| Land area | 3.2 sq mi |
| Density | 865 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 72437) | $60,714 |
| Median home value (ZIP 72437) | $158,234 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Craighead County 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 | 43 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 42 | -4% | 1.9 |
| 2010s | 65 | +56% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 88 | +35% | 2.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 43 a year in the 1990s and 88 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lake City
How common are truck crashes in Lake City?
Since 2015, 979 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Craighead County (456 injured, 41 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Lake City?
NHTSA data shows SR-18 with 8 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lake City since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lake City?
June has the most truck crashes in Craighead County, 10.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Lake City?
Since 2015, Craighead County has reported 27 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.8% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Lake City compared with Arkansas?
Craighead County records 71.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 92.4 across Arkansas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lake City?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.