District of Columbia, DC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in District of Columbia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 0.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How District of Columbia compares with District of Columbia
District of Columbia against District of Columbia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | District of Columbia | District of Columbia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 18.7 | 18.7 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.8 | 0.8 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 1.12 | 1.12 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.4% | 4.4% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.1% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.2% | 28.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.6% | 7.6% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 8.7% | 8.7% | 24.8% | same |
On most measures District of Columbia is in line with District of Columbia.
District of Columbia at a glance: November garbage-truck crashes peak in November (15% of the year's total).
Overview
Police reported 1,539 crashes involving commercial trucks in District of Columbia since 2015: 1,676 people were injured and 13 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 9.7% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (6.8%).
November through March accounts for 40.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in District of Columbia.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 9.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (District of Columbia: 0.1%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes in District of Columbia since 2015 were spread across roads: 21st St Nw (1), 7th St Nw (1), Benning Rd Se (1), Bladensburg Rd Ne (1) and Calvert St Nw (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 68 of the truck crashes here, or 4.4%, compared with 4.4% in District of Columbia.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in November (15% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 0.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for District of Columbia fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in November; review collection routes for that month.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in District of Columbia
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in District of Columbia) |
|---|---|
| 21st St Nw | 1 |
| 7th St Nw | 1 |
| Benning Rd Se | 1 |
| Bladensburg Rd Ne | 1 |
| Calvert St Nw | 1 |
| Clay Place Ne | 1 |
| H St Nw | 1 |
| Howard Rd Se | 1 |
| I-395 | 1 |
| L St Se | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (District of Columbia) |
|---|---|
| New York Avenue Ne | 46 |
| Interstate 395 Interstate Bn | 33 |
| Kenilworth Avenue Ne | 29 |
| Pennsylvania Avenue Se | 27 |
| Massachusetts Avenue Nw | 23 |
| Georgia Avenue Nw | 22 |
| Benning Road Ne | 20 |
| New York Avenue Nw | 16 |
District of Columbia at a glance
| Population | 702,250 |
| Land area | 61.1 sq mi |
| Density | 11,489 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $113,834 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in District of Columbia 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 | 1 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 84 | +11716% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 148 | +75% | 1.8 |
| 2020s | 142 | -4% | 1.8 |
In the 1990s about 1 truck crash a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 142. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
ZIP codes in District of Columbia
Questions fleets ask about District of Columbia
How common are truck crashes in District of Columbia?
1,539 truck crashes have been reported in District of Columbia since 2015, with 13 deaths and 1,676 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in District of Columbia?
July has the most truck crashes in District of Columbia, 9.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in District of Columbia?
Garbage trucks were involved in 68 reported crashes in District of Columbia since 2015 (4.4% of truck crashes).
How does District of Columbia compare with District of Columbia for truck crashes?
District of Columbia records 18.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 18.7 across District of Columbia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in District of Columbia?
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.