West Plains, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in West Plains: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in West Plains and Meade County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Meade County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 121 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Meade County compares with Kansas
Meade County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Meade County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Meade County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 271.0 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 4.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 18.1 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 3.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.9% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 16.4% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 29% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.7% | 15.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.1% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.8% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Meade 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 Meade County: 18.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Kansas: 4.8).
Overview
Meade County has recorded 121 truck crashes since 2015, with 56 people injured and 21 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 35 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in West Plains since 2015; patterns below come from Meade County as a whole.
54% of truck crash reports in Meade County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (13.2% of the year) and are lowest in July (2.5%).
November through March accounts for 43.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.2% in Kansas.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 12.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Where crashes happen
US-54 leads within 10 miles of West Plains with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by N Main Rd (1), US-160 (1) and US-50 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Meade County since 2015.
Route planning tips for West Plains fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Meade County.
- Check whether your routes use US-54, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 12.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Kansas), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Meade County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-54 | 4 |
| N Main Rd | 1 |
| US-160 | 1 |
| US-50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Meade County) |
|---|---|
| Carthage | 3 |
| Indiana | 2 |
| County Road 26 | 1 |
| County Road L | 1 |
| Fowler | 1 |
| Main | 1 |
| Meade Co Road 2 | 1 |
| Meade Co Road 26 | 1 |
West Plains at a glance
| Population | 1,129 |
| Land area | 134.2 sq mi |
| Density | 8 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 67869) | $72,760 |
| Median home value (ZIP 67869) | $152,705 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Meade 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 | 6 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 8 | +42% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 8 | +0% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 12 | +48% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about West Plains
How many truck accidents are there in West Plains?
Since 2015, 121 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Meade County (56 injured, 21 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in West Plains?
Since 2015, US-54 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of West Plains: 4.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in West Plains?
Truck crashes in Meade County peak in June, with 13.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in West Plains?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Meade County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How does West Plains compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Meade County records 271.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.4 across Kansas.
How can I plan a safer truck route in West Plains?
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.