Meriden, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Meriden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Meriden and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 89 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Kansas
Jefferson County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 42.6 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 9.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 8.1% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 3.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.8% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 37% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.3% | 23.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.1% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 46% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.8% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Jefferson County has lower values than Kansas for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Jefferson County: 1 in 12 crashes involve a garbage truck (7 since 2015), vs 2.1% across Kansas.
Overview
Police reported 89 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 33 people were injured and 8 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 47 days.
Only 6 truck crashes were reported in Meriden since 2015; patterns below come from Jefferson County as a whole.
63% of truck crash reports in Jefferson 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 (11.2% of the year) and are lowest in March (3.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.9% of truck crashes, vs 42.2% for Kansas.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 12.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 5.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Meriden since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-4 (1), US-24 (1) and US-75 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 7.9% share (Kansas: 2.1%).
Route planning tips for Meriden fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Jefferson County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-4 | 1 |
| US-24 | 1 |
| US-75 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| Lecompton | 2 |
| Wellman | 2 |
| 35Th | 1 |
| 3Rd | 1 |
| 82Nd | 1 |
| 94Th | 1 |
| Fairview | 1 |
| Headwater | 1 |
Meriden at a glance
| Population | 719 |
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Density | 935 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66512) | $79,008 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66512) | $213,708 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 8 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 8 | -6% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 7 | -10% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 9 | +22% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 9. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Meriden
How many truck accidents are there in Meriden?
Since 2015, 89 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Jefferson County (33 injured, 8 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Meriden?
January has the most truck crashes in Jefferson County, 11.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Meriden?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Jefferson County since 2015 (7.9% of truck crashes).
How does Meriden compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 42.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jefferson County, vs 61.4 for Kansas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Meriden?
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.