Palmer, KS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Palmer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Palmer and Washington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Washington County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 71 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Washington County compares with Kansas
Washington County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Washington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Washington County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 112.6 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.7 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 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 | 4.3% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 53% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.3% | 23.1% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.8% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 62% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 27.5% | 42.2% | 41.9% | 35% below the state |
| After dark | 17.4% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Washington County sits below Kansas on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Washington County: July the month with the most truck crashes: 21.1% of the year's total.
Overview
Washington County has recorded 71 truck crashes since 2015, with 27 people injured and 7 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 58 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Palmer since 2015, this page uses Washington County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
89% of truck crash reports in Washington County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (21.1% of the year) and are lowest in November (2.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 27.5% of truck crashes, against 42.2% across Kansas.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 12.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.3% in Kansas.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Palmer since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Washington County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Palmer fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Washington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Washington County) |
|---|---|
| Upland | 4 |
| 22Nd | 2 |
| 27Th | 2 |
| 29Th | 1 |
| 2Nd | 1 |
| 5Th | 1 |
| 6Th | 1 |
| Gypsum | 1 |
Palmer at a glance
| Population | 126 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 408 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 66962) | $74,583 |
| Median home value (ZIP 66962) | $273,657 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Washington 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 | 4 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 4 | +7% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 7 | +63% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 6 | -12% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 6. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Palmer
How common are truck crashes in Palmer?
71 truck crashes have been reported in Washington County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 27 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Palmer?
The worst month is July: 21.1% of truck crashes in Washington County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Palmer?
Since 2015, Washington County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Palmer compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Washington County has 112.6 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Palmer?
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.