Natchitoches Parish, LA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Natchitoches Parish: 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
4 of 496 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Natchitoches Parish compares with Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish against Louisiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Natchitoches Parish stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Natchitoches Parish | Louisiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 118.5 | 81.5 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.67 | 0.77 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 61% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 43% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.3% | 23.6% | 23.7% | 14% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.0% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 14% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.9% | 40.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.8% | 23.9% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Natchitoches Parish sits below Louisiana on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
Natchitoches Parish at a glance: 1 in 118 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.9%, against 2.2% for Louisiana.
Overview
Since 2015, 496 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Natchitoches Parish. They injured 328 people and killed 18.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 9 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.9% of truck crashes, vs 40.3% for Louisiana.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
0.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.8% across Louisiana.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Natchitoches Parish is I-49, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-71 (3), SR-1 (2) and SR-6 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 0.8%, compared with 2.2% in Louisiana.
Route planning tips for Natchitoches Parish fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Natchitoches Parish.
- Check whether your routes use I-49, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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 Natchitoches Parish
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Natchitoches Parish) |
|---|---|
| I-49 | 5 |
| US-71 | 3 |
| SR-1 | 2 |
| SR-6 | 2 |
| SR-71 | 1 |
| US-84 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Natchitoches Parish) |
|---|---|
| I-49 | 217 |
| La-6 | 88 |
| La-1 | 36 |
| US-71 | 18 |
| La-9 | 13 |
| La-174 | 11 |
| La-486 | 10 |
| La-117 | 10 |
Natchitoches Parish at a glance
| Population | 35,982 |
| Land area | 1,253.0 sq mi |
| Density | 29 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $46,120 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Natchitoches Parish 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 | 13 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 31 | +136% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 44 | +43% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 41 | -7% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 13 to 41. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Natchitoches Parish
ZIP codes in Natchitoches Parish
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Natchitoches Parish
How many truck accidents are there in Natchitoches Parish?
Since 2015, 496 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Natchitoches Parish (328 injured, 18 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Natchitoches Parish?
I-49 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Natchitoches Parish since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Natchitoches Parish?
December has the most truck crashes in Natchitoches Parish, 10.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Natchitoches Parish?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Natchitoches Parish since 2015, 0.8% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Natchitoches Parish compare with Louisiana?
Per 100,000 residents, Natchitoches Parish has 118.5 truck crashes a year; Louisiana has 81.5.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Natchitoches Parish?
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.