Wickes, AR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wickes: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wickes and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 164 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Arkansas
Polk County against Arkansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Arkansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 73.4 | 92.4 | 49.7 | 21% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.2% | 3.3% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.1% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.4% | 15.4% | 13.8% | 13% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.2% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.1% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Polk County has lower values than Arkansas for crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Polk County: 1 in 39 crashes involve a garbage truck (4 since 2015), vs 1.6% across Arkansas.
Overview
Since 2015, 164 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 82 people and killed 11.
That averages about one truck crash every 26 days in fully reported years.
Only 4 truck crashes were reported in Wickes since 2015; patterns below come from Polk County as a whole.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 14.0% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (3.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 38.2% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Arkansas.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 10.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Arkansas: 3.3%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wickes since 2015 were spread across roads: US-71 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 2.4% of the total, against 1.6% across Arkansas.
Route planning tips for Wickes fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- 26.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Arkansas; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-71 | 4 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| US-71 | 42 |
| US-71S | 36 |
| US-71N | 19 |
| Sh246E | 6 |
| US-270 | 6 |
| Sh8E | 5 |
| Sh88E | 5 |
| Sh8W | 3 |
Wickes at a glance
| Population | 655 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 282 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 71973) | $33,313 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 11 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 11 | -1% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 14 | +33% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 14 | -2% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 11 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wickes
How common are truck crashes in Wickes?
Polk County has had 164 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 82 people and killing 11.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Wickes?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in June, with 14.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Wickes?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015, 2.4% of all truck crashes.
How does Wickes compare with Arkansas for truck crashes?
Polk County records 73.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 92.4 across Arkansas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Wickes?
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.