Lake Charles, LA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake Charles: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10 of 264 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lake Charles compares with Louisiana
Lake Charles against Louisiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake Charles stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake Charles | Louisiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.2 | 81.5 | 49.7 | 72% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 20% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.77 | 0.49 | 39% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.4% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 36% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.8% | 23.6% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.1% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 32.9% | 40.3% | 41.9% | 18% below the state |
| After dark | 15.5% | 23.9% | 24.8% | 35% below the state |
Lake Charles sits below Louisiana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
The headline for Lake Charles: 1 in 30 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.4%, against 2.2% for Louisiana.
Overview
Police reported 264 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lake Charles since 2015: 122 people were injured and 7 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 19 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 12.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 5.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 32.9% of truck crashes, vs 40.3% for Louisiana.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 10.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.5% of truck crashes, compared with 0.8% in Louisiana.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-10 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (14). It is followed by I-210 (2), SR-378 (2) and US-171 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 10 crashes, 3.8% of the total, against 2.2% across Louisiana.
Route planning tips for Lake Charles fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-10; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Lake Charles
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-10 | 14 |
| I-210 | 2 |
| SR-378 | 2 |
| US-171 | 2 |
| US-90 | 2 |
| CR-W Prien Lake Road | 1 |
| Mu-Nelson | 1 |
| Old Spanish Trail | 1 |
| SR-108 | 1 |
| SR-1256 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake Charles) |
|---|---|
| I-10 | 129 |
| I-210 | 23 |
| La-14 | 13 |
| La-1138 | 12 |
| US-171 | 7 |
| La-397 | 6 |
| E Prien Lake | 5 |
| La-3186 | 5 |
Lake Charles at a glance
| Population | 81,157 |
| Land area | 47.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,710 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake Charles 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 | 2 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 0 | -100% | 4.6 |
| 2010s | 0 | -100% | 3.5 |
| 2020s | 34 | +1871% | 5.2 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 34. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.5 a year in 2016–19 and 5.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lake Charles
How common are truck crashes in Lake Charles?
Lake Charles has had 264 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 122 people and killing 7.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lake Charles?
Since 2015, I-10 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lake Charles: 14.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake Charles?
The worst month is August: 12.9% of truck crashes in Lake Charles happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Lake Charles?
10 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake Charles since 2015, 3.8% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Lake Charles compare with Louisiana?
Lake Charles records 23.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 81.5 across Louisiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lake Charles?
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.