Union Center, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Union Center: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Union Center and Elk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Elk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 50 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Elk County compares with Kansas
Elk County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Elk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Elk County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 182.9 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 3.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 58% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.27 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 16% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.0% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 78% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.4% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 20% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.1% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 60% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 12.2% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 47% below the state |
Compared with Kansas, Elk County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for Elk County: December 16.0% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 50 crashes involving commercial trucks in Elk County since 2015: 13 people were injured and 1 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 82 days.
Union Center had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Elk County numbers.
82% of truck crash reports in Elk 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 16.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 4.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.9% of truck crashes, vs 42.2% for Kansas.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 16.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.0% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Union Center since 2015: US-400 (2) and SR-99 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.0% share (Kansas: 2.1%).
Route planning tips for Union Center fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Elk County.
- 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 Elk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-400 | 2 |
| SR-99 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Elk County) |
|---|---|
| Limestone | 2 |
| Rd29A | 2 |
| K-99 Milepost 39.9 | 1 |
| Rd 28 | 1 |
| Road 4 | 1 |
Union Center at a glance
| Population | 106 |
| Land area | 142.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 67122) | $137,614 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Elk 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 | 6 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 6 | +1% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 4 | -27% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 4 | -2% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 4. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Union Center
How many truck crashes happen in Union Center?
Elk County has had 50 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 13 people and killing 1.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Union Center?
The worst month is December: 16.0% of truck crashes in Elk County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Union Center?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Elk County since 2015, 2.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Union Center compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Elk County records 182.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.4 across Kansas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Union Center?
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.