Colby, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Colby: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Colby and Thomas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Thomas County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 312 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Thomas County compares with Kansas
Thomas County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Thomas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Thomas County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 327.4 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 5.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 10% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.6% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 2.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.5% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 20% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.8% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.0% | 42.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 29.2% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Kansas, Thomas County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
Thomas County at a glance: 19.6% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 9.3% across Kansas.
Overview
Thomas County has recorded 312 truck crashes since 2015, with 121 people injured and 14 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 14 days.
Colby had 37 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Thomas County numbers.
67% of truck crash reports in Thomas County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is April with 11.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 6.1%.
November through March accounts for 48.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.2% in Kansas.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.0% of truck crashes.
19.6% 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 (2). After it: I-70 (1), SR-25 (1) and US-83 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for Thomas County.
Route planning tips for Colby fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Thomas County.
- Look at alternatives to US-24 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 19.6% 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Thomas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-24 | 2 |
| I-70 | 1 |
| SR-25 | 1 |
| US-83 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Thomas County) |
|---|---|
| I-070 | 165 |
| Willow | 3 |
| I-70 | 3 |
| County Road 2 | 3 |
| County Road 11 | 3 |
| Cord 20 | 2 |
| Country Club | 2 |
| 4Th | 1 |
Colby at a glance
| Population | 5,539 |
| Land area | 3.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,507 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 67701) | $70,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 67701) | $198,367 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Thomas 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 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 21 | +52% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 19 | -8% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 33 | +72% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 14 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 33. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Colby
How many truck accidents are there in Colby?
Thomas County has had 312 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 121 people and killing 14.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Colby?
Since 2015, US-24 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Colby: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Colby?
April has the most truck crashes in Thomas County, 11.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Colby?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Thomas County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How does Colby compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Thomas County has 327.4 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Colby?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.