Vernon, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Vernon: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Vernon 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 has lower values than Kansas for 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
Police reported 200 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cowley County since 2015: 50 people were injured and 7 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 20 days in fully reported years.
Vernon had 0 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
December has the most truck crashes, 11.0% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.4% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 11.0% of truck crashes.
5.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.3% across Kansas.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Vernon since 2015: US-160 (3) and SR-15 (1). No single road stands out.
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 Vernon 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
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 Cowley County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-160 | 3 |
| 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 |
Vernon at a glance
| Population | 458 |
| Land area | 39.3 sq mi |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 67119) | $61,641 |
| Median home value (ZIP 67119) | $124,254 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Vernon
How many truck accidents are there in Vernon?
Cowley County has had 200 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 50 people and killing 7.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Vernon?
Truck crashes in Cowley County peak in December, with 11.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Vernon?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Cowley County since 2015, 2.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Vernon compared with Kansas?
Cowley County records 52.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.4 across Kansas.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Vernon?
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.