Ellsworth, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ellsworth: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ellsworth and Ellsworth County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ellsworth County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 170 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Ellsworth County compares with Kansas
Ellsworth County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ellsworth County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ellsworth County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 237.5 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 3.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 13.9 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 2.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 13% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.6% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 2.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 10.9% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 53% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.9% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.1% | 42.2% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 27.3% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Ellsworth County has lower values than Kansas for garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Ellsworth County: 13.9 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Kansas: 4.8).
Overview
Since 2015, 170 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ellsworth County. They injured 69 people and killed 23.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 24 days.
Only 21 truck crashes were reported in Ellsworth since 2015; patterns below come from Ellsworth County as a whole.
74% of truck crash reports in Ellsworth County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 17.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 4.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 49.1% of truck crashes, vs 42.2% for Kansas.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 8.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 20.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ellsworth since 2015: I-70 (3), SR-156 (3) and SR-14 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 1.8%, compared with 2.1% in Kansas.
Route planning tips for Ellsworth fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Ellsworth County.
- 20.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Kansas; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Ellsworth County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 3 |
| SR-156 | 3 |
| SR-14 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ellsworth County) |
|---|---|
| I-070 | 71 |
| I-70 | 15 |
| 10Th Road | 1 |
| 11Th | 1 |
| 15Th | 1 |
| 18Th Road | 1 |
| 3Rd | 1 |
| Douglas | 1 |
Ellsworth at a glance
| Population | 3,116 |
| Land area | 2.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,302 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 67439) | $73,409 |
| Median home value (ZIP 67439) | $157,628 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ellsworth 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 | 11 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 17 | +59% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 16 | -5% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 15 | -9% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 11 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 15. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ellsworth
How many truck crashes happen in Ellsworth?
170 truck crashes have been reported in Ellsworth County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 69 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Ellsworth?
The worst month is January: 17.6% of truck crashes in Ellsworth County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ellsworth?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Ellsworth County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
How does Ellsworth compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 237.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Ellsworth County, vs 61.4 for Kansas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ellsworth?
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.