Dexter, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dexter: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dexter and Cowley County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cowley County numbers.
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 sits below Kansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Cowley County: 5.1% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Overview
Cowley County has recorded 200 truck crashes since 2015, with 50 people injured and 7 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 20 days.
Dexter had 2 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Cowley County numbers.
64% of truck crash reports in Cowley County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 11.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 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
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Dexter since 2015 were spread across roads: Grouse Creek Rd (1), US-160 (1) and US-166 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 2.0% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Route planning tips for Dexter fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 Cowley County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Grouse Creek Rd | 1 |
| US-160 | 1 |
| US-166 | 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 |
Dexter at a glance
| Population | 229 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 827 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 67038) | $55,699 |
| Median home value (ZIP 67038) | $87,971 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 13 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 17. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dexter
How common are truck crashes in Dexter?
Cowley County has had 200 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 50 people and killing 7.
When do most truck crashes happen in Dexter?
December has the most truck crashes in Cowley County, 11.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Dexter?
Since 2015, Cowley County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Dexter 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 Dexter?
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.