Wendell, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wendell: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wendell 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 |
Thomas County sits below Kansas on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Thomas County: 19.6% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Kansas: 9.3%).
Overview
Since 2015, 312 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Thomas County. They injured 121 people and killed 14.
That averages about one truck crash every 14 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Wendell since 2015; patterns below come from Thomas County as a whole.
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
April has the most truck crashes, 11.2% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (6.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.0% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 19.6% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Wendell since 2015: US-83 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Thomas County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Wendell fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Thomas County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 19.6% of truck crashes here, more than Kansas; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Thomas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Wendell at a glance
| Population | 56 |
| Land area | 70.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median home value (ZIP 67734) | $189,476 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 14 to 33. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wendell
How many truck accidents are there in Wendell?
Since 2015, 312 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Thomas County (121 injured, 14 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Wendell?
Truck crashes in Thomas County peak in April, with 11.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Wendell?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Thomas County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Wendell compare with Kansas?
Per 100,000 residents, Thomas County has 327.4 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wendell?
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.