Blue, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Blue: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Blue and Pottawatomie County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Pottawatomie County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 110 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pottawatomie County compares with Kansas
Pottawatomie County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pottawatomie County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pottawatomie County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.8 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 43% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.9 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 19% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.8% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 3.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.7% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 34.9% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 1.5× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.5% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.8% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.4% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 21% below the state |
Compared with Kansas, Pottawatomie County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Pottawatomie County: 1 in 13 garbage-truck share of crashes is 7.8%, against 2.1% for Kansas.
Overview
Pottawatomie County has recorded 110 truck crashes since 2015, with 36 people injured and 4 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 39 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Blue since 2015, this page uses Pottawatomie County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
75% of truck crash reports in Pottawatomie County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 11.8% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (2.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.8% of truck crashes, vs 42.2% for Kansas.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (12.7%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.7% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Blue happened on US-24 (4); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 8 crashes, 7.3% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Route planning tips for Blue fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Pottawatomie County.
- 34.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Kansas; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 11.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Kansas), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Pottawatomie County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-24 | 4 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pottawatomie County) |
|---|---|
| Jeffrey | 4 |
| Wheaton | 3 |
| Flush | 3 |
| Myers Valley | 2 |
| Westmoreland | 2 |
| 4Th | 1 |
| 6Th | 1 |
| 7Th | 1 |
Blue at a glance
| Population | 5,366 |
| Land area | 43.3 sq mi |
| Density | 124 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66535) | $78,642 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66535) | $233,835 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pottawatomie 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 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 9 | +37% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 9 | +6% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 10 | +2% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 10. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Blue
How many truck crashes happen in Blue?
110 truck crashes have been reported in Pottawatomie County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 36 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Blue?
September has the most truck crashes in Pottawatomie County, 11.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Blue?
Since 2015, Pottawatomie County has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 7.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Blue compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 34.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Pottawatomie County, vs 61.4 for Kansas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Blue?
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.