Harlan, KY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Harlan: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Harlan and Harlan County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Harlan County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 101 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Harlan County compares with Kentucky
Harlan County against Kentucky and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Harlan County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Harlan County | Kentucky | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.6 | 68.4 | 49.7 | 48% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 23% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.0% | 5.0% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 22.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.3% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.8% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 14.3% | 24.4% | 24.8% | 41% below the state |
Compared with Kentucky, Harlan County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Kentucky on deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Harlan County: 6.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Kentucky: 3.5).
Overview
Police reported 101 crashes involving commercial trucks in Harlan County since 2015: 55 people were injured and 6 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 41 days.
With 29 truck crashes reported in Harlan since 2015, this page uses Harlan County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 11.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 5.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 37.8% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for Kentucky.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 10.9% of truck crashes.
2.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 5.0% across Kentucky.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Harlan since 2015: US-119 (2), US-421 (2) and SR-3457 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 2.0%, compared with 2.6% in Kentucky.
Route planning tips for Harlan fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Harlan County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Harlan County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-119 | 2 |
| US-421 | 2 |
| SR-3457 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Harlan County) |
|---|---|
| US-0421 | 40 |
| US-0119 | 28 |
| Ky0038 | 7 |
| Ky0221 | 6 |
| Ky0072 | 3 |
| Ky0179 | 2 |
| Ky0215 | 2 |
| Ky2006 | 2 |
Harlan at a glance
| Population | 1,831 |
| Land area | 1.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,346 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 40854) | $55,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 40854) | $77,824 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Harlan 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 | 3 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 23 | +574% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 11 | -51% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 10 | -12% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 10. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Harlan
How many truck crashes happen in Harlan?
Since 2015, 101 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Harlan County (55 injured, 6 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Harlan?
May has the most truck crashes in Harlan County, 11.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Harlan?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Harlan County since 2015, 2.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Harlan compare with Kentucky?
Harlan County records 35.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.4 across Kentucky.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Harlan?
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.