Manhattan, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Manhattan: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Manhattan and Riley County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Riley County numbers.
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 sits below Kansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Riley County: 1 in 21 crashes involve a garbage truck (8 since 2015), vs 2.1% across 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.
With 55 truck crashes reported in Manhattan since 2015, this page uses Riley County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
54% of truck crash reports in Riley County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (17.6% of the year) and are lowest in March (3.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 32.9% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 11.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 12.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
US-24 leads within 10 miles of Manhattan with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-70 (2) and SR-18 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 8 crashes, 5.2% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Route planning tips for Manhattan fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Riley County.
- Look at alternatives to US-24 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 25.3% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Kansas.
- 12.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Kansas; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-24 | 4 |
| I-70 | 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 |
Manhattan at a glance
| Population | 54,700 |
| Land area | 20.4 sq mi |
| Density | 2,683 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 13. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Manhattan
How many truck accidents are there in Manhattan?
Since 2015, 153 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Riley County (57 injured, 7 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Manhattan?
NHTSA data shows US-24 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Manhattan since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Manhattan?
Truck crashes in Riley County peak in August, with 17.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Manhattan?
Garbage trucks were involved in 8 reported crashes in Riley County since 2015 (5.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Manhattan compare with Kansas?
Riley County records 18.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.4 across Kansas.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Manhattan?
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.