Riley County, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Riley County: 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
8 of 153 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Riley County compares with Kansas
Riley County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Riley County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Riley County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 18.3 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 70% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 4.8 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.8% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.3% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.5% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 32.9% | 42.2% | 41.9% | 22% below the state |
| After dark | 16.4% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 29% below the state |
Riley County has lower values than Kansas for crashes per 100k residents / yr, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. It runs above Kansas on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Riley County: 1 in 21 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.8%, against 2.1% for Kansas.
Overview
Riley County has recorded 153 truck crashes since 2015, with 57 people injured and 7 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 28 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 17.6% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (3.9%).
November through March accounts for 32.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.2% in Kansas.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (11.1%).
12.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.3% across Kansas.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-24 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). After it: I-70 (2), US-77 (2) and SR-18 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 5.2%, compared with 2.1% in Kansas.
Route planning tips for Riley County fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-24 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 25.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Kansas; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 12.3% 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 Riley County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Riley County) |
|---|---|
| US-24 | 3 |
| I-70 | 2 |
| US-77 | 2 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Riley County) |
|---|---|
| I-070 | 30 |
| Tuttle Creek | 8 |
| Kimball | 6 |
| Fort Riley | 4 |
| Zeandale | 4 |
| I-70 | 3 |
| Barton | 3 |
| Anderson | 3 |
Riley County at a glance
| Population | 72,557 |
| Land area | 609.7 sq mi |
| Density | 119 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $64,623 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Riley 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 | 12 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 14 | +12% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 17 | +22% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 13 | -24% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 13 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 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Riley County
ZIP codes in Riley County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Riley County
How common are truck crashes in Riley County?
153 truck crashes have been reported in Riley County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 57 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Riley County?
US-24 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Riley County since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Riley County?
August has the most truck crashes in Riley County, 17.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Riley County?
Since 2015, Riley County has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.2% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Riley County compared with Kansas?
Riley County records 18.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.4 across Kansas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Riley County?
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.