Payson, AZ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Payson: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Payson and Gila County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Gila County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9 of 420 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Gila County compares with Arizona
Gila County against Arizona and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Gila County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Gila County | Arizona | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 64.7 | 35.9 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.5 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.18 | 0.19 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.8% | 3.2% | 6.2% | 2.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.4% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.8% | 5.3% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.1% | 42.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.2% | 30.0% | 24.8% | same |
It runs above Arizona on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Gila County: 7.8% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Arizona: 3.2%).
Overview
Gila County has recorded 420 truck crashes since 2015, with 84 people injured and 25 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 10 days.
With 97 truck crashes reported in Payson since 2015, this page uses Gila County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 42.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.1% in Arizona.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (7.9%).
Road surface: 7.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Arizona: 3.2%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Payson since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-260 (2) and SR-87 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 9 crashes, 2.1% of the total, against 1.6% across Arizona.
Route planning tips for Payson fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Gila County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 7.8% of truck crashes here, more than Arizona; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Gila County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-260 | 2 |
| SR-87 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Gila County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-260@M281 | 7 |
| Sr-260@M278 | 7 |
| Sr-87 Noncard@M247 | 6 |
| Sr-260@M277 | 6 |
| Us-60@M292 | 5 |
| Sr-87@M224 | 5 |
| Sr-87 Noncard@M246 | 5 |
| Sr-260@M256 | 5 |
Payson at a glance
| Population | 16,762 |
| Land area | 19.3 sq mi |
| Density | 866 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 85541) | $66,383 |
| Median home value (ZIP 85541) | $352,017 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Gila 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 | — | 2.3 |
| 2000s | 24 | +97% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 15 | -40% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 40 | +170% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 40. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Payson
How many truck crashes happen in Payson?
Since 2015, 420 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Gila County (84 injured, 25 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Payson?
Truck crashes in Gila County peak in October, with 10.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Payson?
9 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Gila County since 2015, 2.1% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Payson compared with Arizona?
Per 100,000 residents, Gila County has 64.7 truck crashes a year; Arizona has 35.9.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Payson?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.