Merriam, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Merriam: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 216 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Merriam compares with Kansas
Merriam against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Merriam stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Merriam | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 165.1 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 2.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 79% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.24 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 25% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.2% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 33% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.4% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 1.4× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.7% | 15.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.1% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 26% below the state |
Merriam sits below Kansas on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Kansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Merriam: 0 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.0%, against 2.1% for Kansas.
Overview
Police reported 216 crashes involving commercial trucks in Merriam since 2015: 53 people were injured and 2 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 19 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 11.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 5.6%.
November through March accounts for 40.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.2% in Kansas.
More truck crashes happen at 4–5 pm than at any other hour (12.0%).
Road surface: 6.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Merriam is I-435, with 12 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-35 (8), I-70 (6) and SR-32 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 0.5% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Route planning tips for Merriam fleets
- Review driver schedules for November, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-435 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 31.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Kansas.
- 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 Merriam
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-435 | 12 |
| I-35 | 8 |
| I-70 | 6 |
| SR-32 | 4 |
| US-71 | 4 |
| Bannister Rd | 3 |
| Prospect Ave | 3 |
| US-69 | 3 |
| I-635 | 2 |
| I-670 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Merriam) |
|---|---|
| I-035 | 168 |
| I-35 | 21 |
| 75Th | 5 |
| Johnson | 5 |
| Merriam | 4 |
| Shawnee Mission | 4 |
| Antioch | 3 |
| 53Rd | 1 |
Merriam at a glance
| Population | 11,560 |
| Land area | 4.3 sq mi |
| Density | 2,678 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66203) | $75,869 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66203) | $254,811 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Merriam 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 | 9 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 10 | +7% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 15 | +51% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 18 | +24% | 3.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 9 a year in the 1990s and 18 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 Merriam
How many truck accidents are there in Merriam?
Since 2015, 216 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Merriam (53 injured, 2 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Merriam?
I-435 had 12 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Merriam since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Merriam?
November has the most truck crashes in Merriam, 11.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Merriam?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Merriam since 2015, 0.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Merriam compared with Kansas?
Merriam records 165.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.4 across Kansas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Merriam?
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.