Independence, KY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Independence: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Independence and Kenton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kenton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Kenton County compares with Kentucky
Kenton County against Kentucky and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kenton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kenton County | Kentucky | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 88.6 | 68.4 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 71% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 7% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.8% | 5.0% | 6.2% | 24% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.1% | 22.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.2% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 28.6% | 24.4% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Kenton County sits below Kentucky on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Kentucky on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
The headline for Kenton County: 1.0 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.5 in Kentucky.
Overview
Kenton County has recorded 1,808 truck crashes since 2015, with 710 people injured and 19 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
Independence had 70 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Kenton County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in December (5.9%).
November through March accounts for 37.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in Kentucky.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Kentucky: 5.0%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-75 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (13). After it: I-275 (5), SR-9 (5) and US-27 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
45 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.5% share (Kentucky: 2.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (16%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 1.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Independence fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kenton County.
- Check whether your routes use I-75, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Kenton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 13 |
| I-275 | 5 |
| SR-9 | 5 |
| US-27 | 4 |
| E 32nd St | 1 |
| I-471 | 1 |
| I-71 | 1 |
| SR-14 | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-236 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kenton County) |
|---|---|
| I-0075 | 1,152 |
| I-0275 | 224 |
| US-0025 | 48 |
| Ky0017 | 47 |
| Ky0016 | 32 |
| Ky0008 | 21 |
| Ky1303 | 21 |
| Ky0236 | 17 |
Independence at a glance
| Population | 30,196 |
| Land area | 17.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,702 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 41051) | $104,201 |
| Median home value (ZIP 41051) | $268,862 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kenton 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 | 66 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 108 | +63% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 138 | +28% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 146 | +6% | 1.2 |
In the 1990s about 66 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 146. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Independence
How common are truck crashes in Independence?
Kenton County has had 1,808 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 710 people and killing 19.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Independence?
NHTSA data shows I-75 with 13 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Independence since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Independence?
October has the most truck crashes in Kenton County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Independence?
Since 2015, Kenton County has reported 45 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Independence compare with Kentucky?
Per 100,000 residents, Kenton County has 88.6 truck crashes a year; Kentucky has 68.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Independence?
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.