Baxter Springs, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Baxter Springs: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Baxter Springs and Cherokee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cherokee County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 187 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cherokee County compares with Kansas
Cherokee County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cherokee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cherokee County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 87.0 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 31% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 48% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.8% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.2% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.6% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 57% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 35.5% | 42.2% | 41.9% | 16% below the state |
| After dark | 26.2% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Kansas, Cherokee County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Kansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
The headline for Baxter Springs: I-44 deadliest road: 7 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Baxter Springs since 2015.
Overview
Cherokee County has recorded 187 truck crashes since 2015, with 63 people injured and 6 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 22 days in fully reported years.
Baxter Springs had 14 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Cherokee County numbers.
62% of truck crash reports in Cherokee County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 12.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 4.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 35.5% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 7.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-44 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). It is followed by US-166 (2), US-160 (1) and US-412 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 2.1% in Kansas.
Route planning tips for Baxter Springs fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-44 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Cherokee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-44 | 7 |
| US-166 | 2 |
| US-160 | 1 |
| US-412 | 1 |
| US-69 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cherokee County) |
|---|---|
| Military | 5 |
| Clem | 5 |
| East | 4 |
| 7Th | 3 |
| 10Th | 2 |
| U069 Alt | 2 |
| 100Th | 1 |
| 12Th | 1 |
Baxter Springs at a glance
| Population | 3,844 |
| Land area | 3.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,221 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66713) | $61,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66713) | $95,274 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cherokee 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 | 17 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 13 | -20% | 1.8 |
| 2010s | 16 | +19% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 17 | +6% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 17 to 17. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Baxter Springs
How common are truck crashes in Baxter Springs?
Cherokee County has had 187 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 63 people and killing 6.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Baxter Springs?
I-44 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Baxter Springs since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Baxter Springs?
The worst month is June: 12.8% of truck crashes in Cherokee County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Baxter Springs?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Cherokee County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Baxter Springs compare with Kansas?
Per 100,000 residents, Cherokee County has 87.0 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Baxter Springs?
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.