Gardner, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Gardner: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Gardner and Johnson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Johnson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Johnson County compares with Kansas
Johnson County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Johnson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Johnson County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.2 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 36% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 67% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.24 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 25% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.4% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.7% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 38% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.3% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.0% | 15.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.6% | 42.2% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 16.1% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 31% below the state |
Compared with Kansas, Johnson County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Kansas on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Johnson County: 1 in 29 crashes involve a garbage truck (101 since 2015), vs 2.1% across Kansas.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,854 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Johnson County. They injured 691 people and killed 45.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
With 91 truck crashes reported in Gardner since 2015, this page uses Johnson County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.6% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 5.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
SR-7 leads within 10 miles of Gardner with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-35 (4), US-169 (3) and US-56 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 101 of the truck crashes here, or 3.5%, compared with 2.1% in Kansas.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in June (16%).
They recorded 1.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Gardner fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Johnson County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-7 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at June schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.3% of truck crashes here, more than Kansas; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Johnson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-7 | 5 |
| I-35 | 4 |
| US-169 | 3 |
| US-56 | 3 |
| I-035 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Johnson County) |
|---|---|
| I-035 | 755 |
| I-435 | 398 |
| I-35 | 154 |
| US-69 | 63 |
| Metcalf | 52 |
| 199Th | 41 |
| 95Th | 38 |
| 151St | 38 |
Gardner at a glance
| Population | 25,836 |
| Land area | 14.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,773 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66030) | $97,822 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66030) | $309,743 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Johnson 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 | 100 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 184 | +85% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 224 | +21% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 242 | +8% | 3.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 100 to 242. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Gardner
How common are truck crashes in Gardner?
Johnson County has had 2,854 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 691 people and killing 45.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Gardner?
NHTSA data shows SR-7 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Gardner since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Gardner?
October has the most truck crashes in Johnson County, 9.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Gardner?
Garbage trucks were involved in 101 reported crashes in Johnson County since 2015 (3.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Gardner compared with Kansas?
The yearly rate is 39.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Johnson County, vs 61.4 for Kansas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Gardner?
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.