Kathleen, FL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kathleen: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Kathleen 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
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Florida
Polk County against Florida 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 | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.4 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.51 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 25.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.9% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 42.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.4% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Florida, Polk County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
Kathleen at a glance: I-4 12 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Kathleen.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 5,582 truck crashes since 2015, with 3,056 people injured and 257 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Kathleen since 2015; patterns below come from Polk County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 10.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 7.2%.
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.1% in Florida.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Florida: 0.1%).
Where crashes happen
I-4 leads within 10 miles of Kathleen with 12 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-98 (10), SR-659 (5) and US-92 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 138 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 3.8% in Florida.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (13% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.3 deaths compared with 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Kathleen fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-4; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk County.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| I-4 | 12 |
| US-98 | 10 |
| SR-659 | 5 |
| US-92 | 5 |
| SR-39 | 3 |
| County Line Rd | 2 |
| SR-33 | 2 |
| Alexander St | 1 |
| CR-33A | 1 |
| CR-542 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| SR-60 | 431 |
| SR-27 | 354 |
| US-27 | 160 |
| US-98 | 158 |
| Sr25 (Highway 27) | 139 |
| US-92 | 128 |
| I-4 | 115 |
| SR-98 | 92 |
Kathleen at a glance
| Land area | 7.2 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 33810) | $69,986 |
| Median home value (ZIP 33810) | $267,996 |
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 | 96 | — | 18.1 |
| 2000s | 258 | +167% | 19.4 |
| 2010s | 319 | +24% | 14.2 |
| 2020s | 539 | +69% | 21.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 96 a year in the 1990s and 539 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 18.0 a year in 2016–19, 21.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kathleen
How common are truck crashes in Kathleen?
Since 2015, 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (3,056 injured, 257 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Kathleen?
NHTSA data shows I-4 with 12 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Kathleen since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Kathleen?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in March, with 10.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Kathleen?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 138 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Kathleen compare with Florida?
The yearly rate is 56.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 37.4 for Florida.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Kathleen?
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.