Ottawa, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ottawa: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ottawa and Franklin County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Franklin County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 302 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Franklin County compares with Kansas
Franklin County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Franklin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Franklin County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 101.0 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.1 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.26 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 19% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 67% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.1% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.5% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.5% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.7% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Franklin County has lower values than Kansas for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Franklin County at a glance: 1 in 147 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.7%, vs 2.1% in Kansas.
Overview
Franklin County has recorded 302 truck crashes since 2015, with 80 people injured and 12 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
With 50 truck crashes reported in Ottawa since 2015, this page uses Franklin County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
74% of truck crash reports in Franklin County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.9% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.9% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 8.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Ottawa is I-35, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-68 (1), Sand Creek Rd (1) and US-59 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 0.7%, compared with 2.1% in Kansas.
Route planning tips for Ottawa fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Franklin County.
- Check whether your routes use I-35, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 15.1% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Kansas), plan winter equipment 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 Franklin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 4 |
| SR-68 | 1 |
| Sand Creek Rd | 1 |
| US-59 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Franklin County) |
|---|---|
| I-035 | 187 |
| John Brown | 5 |
| 23Rd | 4 |
| Sand Creek | 4 |
| Rock Creek | 3 |
| Princeton | 3 |
| Int 35 | 3 |
| I-35 | 3 |
Ottawa at a glance
| Population | 12,733 |
| Land area | 10.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,234 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66067) | $77,255 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66067) | $191,858 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Franklin 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 | 18 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 16 | -9% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 24 | +50% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 28 | +15% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 18 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 28. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ottawa
How common are truck crashes in Ottawa?
302 truck crashes have been reported in Franklin County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 80 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Ottawa?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ottawa since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ottawa?
The worst month is January: 12.9% of truck crashes in Franklin County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ottawa?
Since 2015, Franklin County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.7% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ottawa compared with Kansas?
Per 100,000 residents, Franklin County has 101.0 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ottawa?
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.