Cowley County, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cowley 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
4 of 200 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cowley County compares with Kansas
Cowley County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cowley County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cowley County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 52.1 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 15% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 25% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.24 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 25% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.1% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 45% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 23.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.2% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 19% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.4% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.3% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 30% below the state |
Cowley County has lower values than Kansas for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Cowley County: US-160 most fatal truck crashes in Cowley County: 3 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 200 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cowley County since 2015: 50 people were injured and 7 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 20 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (11.0% of the year) and are lowest in February (5.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.2% for Kansas.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 11.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 5.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Cowley County is US-160, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-166 (2), Grouse Creek Rd (1) and SR-15 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.0% share (Kansas: 2.1%).
Route planning tips for Cowley County fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cowley County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-160; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Cowley County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Cowley County) |
|---|---|
| US-160 | 3 |
| US-166 | 2 |
| Grouse Creek Rd | 1 |
| SR-15 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cowley County) |
|---|---|
| Summit | 8 |
| 202Nd | 6 |
| 21St | 6 |
| Chestnut | 5 |
| 32Nd | 5 |
| 92Nd | 3 |
| 71St | 3 |
| 101St | 2 |
Cowley County at a glance
| Population | 34,186 |
| Land area | 1,125.7 sq mi |
| Density | 30 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $58,263 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cowley 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 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 12 | -8% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 18 | +46% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 17 | -4% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 13 to 17. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Cowley County
ZIP codes in Cowley County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Cowley County
How common are truck crashes in Cowley County?
Cowley County has had 200 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 50 people and killing 7.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Cowley County?
Since 2015, US-160 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Cowley County: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cowley County?
December has the most truck crashes in Cowley County, 11.0% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cowley County?
Since 2015, Cowley County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Cowley County compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 52.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cowley County, vs 61.4 for Kansas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cowley 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.