Highlands County, FL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Highlands County: 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
7.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 7.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Highlands County compares with Florida
Highlands County against Florida and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Highlands County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Highlands County | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 50.8 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.59 | 0.51 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.2% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 2.0× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 25.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.3% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.3% | 42.1% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 26.1% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Highlands County sits below Florida on in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Highlands County: 0.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 0.1% in Florida.
Overview
Police reported 648 crashes involving commercial trucks in Highlands County since 2015: 383 people were injured and 46 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 11.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is October at 5.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.3% of truck crashes, against 42.1% across Florida.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (8.6%).
0.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.1% across Florida.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-27 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (17). It is followed by SR-70 (8), SR-66 (3) and US-98 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 27 crashes, 4.2% of the total, against 3.8% across Florida.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (15%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 7.7 deaths compared with 7.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Highlands County fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use US-27, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- 0.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Florida; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Highlands County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Highlands County) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 17 |
| SR-70 | 8 |
| SR-66 | 3 |
| US-98 | 3 |
| SR-64 | 2 |
| CR-17 | 1 |
| CR-64 | 1 |
| CR-700A | 1 |
| Old State Road 8 | 1 |
| SR-17 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Highlands County) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 132 |
| SR-70 | 65 |
| State Road 70 | 58 |
| Us 27 (Sr 25) | 55 |
| Us 27 South | 22 |
| State Road 66 | 18 |
| Us 27 (State Road 25) | 17 |
| Us-27 (Sr-25) | 15 |
Highlands County at a glance
| Population | 109,778 |
| Land area | 1,017.7 sq mi |
| Density | 108 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $56,217 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Highlands 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 | 20 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 41 | +111% | 4.0 |
| 2010s | 46 | +10% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 53 | +15% | 4.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 20 a year in the 1990s and 53 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Highlands County
ZIP codes in Highlands County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Highlands County
How many truck crashes happen in Highlands County?
Since 2015, 648 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Highlands County (383 injured, 46 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Highlands County?
US-27 had 17 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Highlands County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Highlands County?
Truck crashes in Highlands County peak in March, with 11.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Highlands County?
27 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Highlands County since 2015, 4.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Highlands County compared with Florida?
The yearly rate is 50.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Highlands County, vs 37.4 for Florida.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Highlands County?
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.