Liberal, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Liberal: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Liberal and Seward County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Seward County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 313 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Seward County compares with Kansas
Seward County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Seward County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Seward County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 122.2 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 9.1 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 50% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 13.3% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.1% | 23.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.0% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 8% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.2% | 42.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 29.0% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Kansas, Seward County is lower on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Seward County at a glance: January 15.0% of truck crashes happen in January, more than any other month.
Overview
Seward County has recorded 313 truck crashes since 2015, with 106 people injured and 26 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 14 days in fully reported years.
Only 187 truck crashes were reported in Liberal since 2015; patterns below come from Seward County as a whole.
30% of truck crash reports in Seward County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 15.0% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (3.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.2% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 6.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 13.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-83 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). Next come US-54 (3), E 4 Rd (1) and Road 11 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 1.0% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Route planning tips for Liberal fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-83 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 13.3% of truck crashes here, more than Kansas; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Seward County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-83 | 6 |
| US-54 | 3 |
| E 4 Rd | 1 |
| Road 11 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Seward County) |
|---|---|
| Pancake | 18 |
| Kansas | 3 |
| 2Nd | 2 |
| 8Th | 2 |
| County Road V | 2 |
| Rd K | 2 |
| Road 4 | 2 |
| Road B | 2 |
Liberal at a glance
| Population | 19,184 |
| Land area | 12.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,596 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Seward 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 | 14 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 20 | +41% | 1.9 |
| 2010s | 23 | +16% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 26 | +16% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 14 a year in the 1990s and 26 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Liberal
How common are truck crashes in Liberal?
313 truck crashes have been reported in Seward County since 2015, with 26 deaths and 106 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Liberal?
Since 2015, US-83 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Liberal: 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Liberal?
The worst month is January: 15.0% of truck crashes in Seward County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Liberal?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Seward County since 2015 (1.0% of truck crashes).
How does Liberal compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Seward County records 122.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.4 across Kansas.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Liberal?
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.