Great Bend, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Great Bend: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Great Bend and Barton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Barton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 192 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Barton County compares with Kansas
Barton County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Barton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Barton County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 67.7 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.9 | 4.8 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.8% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.1% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 13% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.1% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.5% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 57% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.1% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.8% | 23.2% | 24.8% | same |
Barton County sits below Kansas on on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Kansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Barton County: 1 in 26 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.8%, vs 2.1% in Kansas.
Overview
Barton County has recorded 192 truck crashes since 2015, with 66 people injured and 9 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 22 days.
With 34 truck crashes reported in Great Bend since 2015, this page uses Barton County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
66% of truck crash reports in Barton County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 10.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 7.3%.
November through March accounts for 41.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.2% in Kansas.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Great Bend is US-281, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by 2nd Rd (1), 4th Street (1) and N Washington Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 3.6% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Route planning tips for Great Bend fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-281 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Barton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-281 | 2 |
| 2nd Rd | 1 |
| 4th Street | 1 |
| N Washington Ave | 1 |
| US-56 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Barton County) |
|---|---|
| Washington | 6 |
| Railroad | 5 |
| Main | 3 |
| 10Th | 3 |
| Canterbury | 2 |
| Susank | 2 |
| 12Th | 1 |
| 190Th | 1 |
Great Bend at a glance
| Population | 14,306 |
| Land area | 10.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,359 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 67530) | $58,780 |
| Median home value (ZIP 67530) | $137,010 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Barton 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 | 13 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 13 | -2% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 15 | +19% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 19 | +26% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 13 a year in the 1990s and 19 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Great Bend
How many truck crashes happen in Great Bend?
192 truck crashes have been reported in Barton County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 66 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Great Bend?
Since 2015, US-281 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Great Bend: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Great Bend?
Truck crashes in Barton County peak in October, with 10.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Great Bend?
Since 2015, Barton County has reported 7 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.6% of its truck crashes.
How does Great Bend compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Barton County has 67.7 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Great Bend?
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.