Watson, AR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watson: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watson and Desha County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Desha County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 151 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Desha County compares with Arkansas
Desha County against Arkansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Desha County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Desha County | Arkansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 126.0 | 92.4 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 57% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.4% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 58% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.9% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 18% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.2% | 15.4% | 13.8% | 27% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 35.7% | 40.9% | 41.9% | 13% below the state |
| After dark | 24.5% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Desha County has lower values than Arkansas for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Desha County: 1 in 143 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.7%, vs 1.6% in Arkansas.
Overview
Since 2015, 151 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Desha County. They injured 84 people and killed 6.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 28 days.
Watson had 2 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Desha County numbers.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 13.9% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (1.3%).
November through March accounts for 35.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in Arkansas.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (8.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.4% of truck crashes, compared with 3.3% in Arkansas.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Watson since 2015 were spread across roads: US-165 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.7% share (Arkansas: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Watson fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Desha County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Desha County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-165 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Desha County) |
|---|---|
| US-65 | 34 |
| Sh1 | 22 |
| US-65N | 21 |
| US-165 | 18 |
| US-65S | 12 |
| Sh4 | 6 |
| Sh4N | 5 |
| Cst(South 1St Street) | 2 |
Watson at a glance
| Population | 165 |
| Land area | 0.2 sq mi |
| Density | 825 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 71674) | $52,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 71674) | $143,189 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Desha 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 | 12 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 12 | -3% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 11 | -2% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 14 | +21% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 14 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Watson
How common are truck crashes in Watson?
Desha County has had 151 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 84 people and killing 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Watson?
May has the most truck crashes in Desha County, 13.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Watson?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Desha County since 2015, 0.7% of all truck crashes.
How does Watson compare with Arkansas for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Desha County has 126.0 truck crashes a year; Arkansas has 92.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Watson?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.