Lawrence, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lawrence: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lawrence and Douglas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Douglas County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Douglas County compares with Kansas
Douglas County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Douglas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Douglas County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.9 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 51% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 65% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.20 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 38% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.5% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.5% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.2% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.2% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Douglas County has lower values than Kansas for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Douglas County: 1 in 18 garbage-truck share of crashes is 5.5%, against 2.1% for Kansas.
Overview
Douglas County has recorded 420 truck crashes since 2015, with 88 people injured and 7 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 10 days.
Lawrence had 172 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Douglas County numbers.
47% of truck crash reports in Douglas County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (12.4% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.9% of truck crashes, vs 42.2% for Kansas.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 9.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Lawrence is I-70, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: Augusta Dr (1), CR-222ND St (1) and SR-10 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 22 of the truck crashes here, or 5.2%, compared with 2.1% in Kansas.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (18%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.5, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Lawrence fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-70, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Douglas County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 24.7% of truck crashes here, more than Kansas; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 10.5% of truck crashes here, more than Kansas; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Douglas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 2 |
| Augusta Dr | 1 |
| CR-222ND St | 1 |
| SR-10 | 1 |
| US-40 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Douglas County) |
|---|---|
| I-070 | 98 |
| I070Kta | 42 |
| 23Rd | 12 |
| Kentucky | 5 |
| Wakarusa | 4 |
| Lakeview | 3 |
| Iowa | 3 |
| I-70 | 3 |
Lawrence at a glance
| Population | 97,271 |
| Land area | 34.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,810 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66045) | $13,750 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Douglas 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 | 25 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 29 | +18% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 39 | +32% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 38 | -1% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 25 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 38. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lawrence
How many truck accidents are there in Lawrence?
Since 2015, 420 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Douglas County (88 injured, 7 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lawrence?
I-70 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Lawrence since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lawrence?
The worst month is December: 12.4% of truck crashes in Douglas County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Lawrence?
Garbage trucks were involved in 22 reported crashes in Douglas County since 2015 (5.2% of truck crashes).
How does Lawrence compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Douglas County has 29.9 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lawrence?
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.