Wakarusa Township, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wakarusa Township: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wakarusa Township 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. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in 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.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Wakarusa Township since 2015; patterns below come from Douglas County as a whole.
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.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (9.8%).
Road surface: 10.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wakarusa since 2015 were spread across roads: Augusta Dr (1), CR-222ND St (1), I-70 (1), SR-10 (1) and US-40 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 22 crashes, 5.2% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (18% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.5, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Wakarusa Township fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Douglas County.
- Morning starts matter: 24.7% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Kansas.
- 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
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 Douglas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Augusta Dr | 1 |
| CR-222ND St | 1 |
| I-70 | 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 |
Wakarusa Township at a glance
| Population | 2,183 |
| Land area | 41.3 sq mi |
| Density | 53 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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 25 a year in the 1990s and 38 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wakarusa Township
How common are truck crashes in Wakarusa Township?
420 truck crashes have been reported in Douglas County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 88 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Wakarusa Township?
December has the most truck crashes in Douglas County, 12.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Wakarusa Township?
22 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Douglas County since 2015, 5.2% of all truck crashes.
How does Wakarusa Township 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 Wakarusa Township?
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.