Lihue, HI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lihue: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lihue and Kauai County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kauai County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 56 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Kauai County compares with Hawaii
Kauai County against Hawaii and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kauai County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kauai County | Hawaii | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 6.4 | 7.3 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 15.4 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 2.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.67 | 0.70 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 9.6% | 7.9% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6.2% | |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.8% | 30.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.9% | 12.1% | 13.8% | 68% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.1% | 41.3% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 21.1% | 20.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Hawaii, Kauai County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Kauai County: 15.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 6.2 in Hawaii.
Overview
Since 2015, 56 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Kauai County. They injured 35 people and killed 8.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 77 days.
Lihue had 19 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Kauai County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (17.9% of the year) and are lowest in December (1.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.1% of truck crashes, vs 41.3% for Hawaii.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (12.5%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lihue since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-56 (2) and SR-50 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 8.9%, compared with 7.9% in Hawaii.
Route planning tips for Lihue fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kauai County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-56 | 2 |
| SR-50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kauai County) |
|---|---|
| Waimea Canyon Dr / 1579' N Of Nele Rd | 2 |
| .25 Mile N Of 44 Mm Hwy 11 | 1 |
| Apopo Rd / 523' E Of Malu Rd | 1 |
| Eiwa St / 10' N Of Rice St Junction | 1 |
| Halewili Rd / .1 Mile S Of Mm#3 | 1 |
| Hanamaulu Rd / 250' S Of Kuhio Hwy Intersection | 1 |
| Hanapepe Rd / Moi Rd Junction | 1 |
| Kainahola Rd / .5 Mile S Of Waipouli Rd | 1 |
Lihue at a glance
| Land area | 7.5 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kauai 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 | 3 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 4 | +39% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 5 | +28% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 4 | -10% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 4. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lihue
How common are truck crashes in Lihue?
56 truck crashes have been reported in Kauai County since 2015, with 8 deaths and 35 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lihue?
The worst month is March: 17.9% of truck crashes in Kauai County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lihue?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Kauai County since 2015 (8.9% of truck crashes).
How does Lihue compare with Hawaii for truck crashes?
Kauai County records 6.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 7.3 across Hawaii.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lihue?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.