Rapides Parish, LA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rapides 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
4.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Rapides Parish compares with Louisiana
Rapides Parish against Louisiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rapides Parish stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 75.9 | 81.5 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.76 | 0.77 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.2% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.0% | 23.6% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.7% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 7% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 40.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.0% | 23.9% | 24.8% | 12% below the state |
Rapides Parish sits below Louisiana on deaths per 100 crashes, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It runs above Louisiana on on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Rapides Parish: 1.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 0.8% in Louisiana.
Overview
Rapides Parish has recorded 1,152 truck crashes since 2015, with 848 people injured and 27 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 6.8%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.3% of truck crashes, vs 40.3% for Louisiana.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (8.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.2% of truck crashes, compared with 0.8% in Louisiana.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-28 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (9). After it: I-49 (2), SR-3170 (2) and US-165 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 24 crashes, 2.1% of the total, against 2.2% across Louisiana.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in July (25%).
They recorded 4.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Rapides Parish fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-28 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.0% of truck crashes here, more than Louisiana; adjust start times where you can.
- With 1.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Louisiana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Rapides Parish
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Rapides Parish) |
|---|---|
| SR-28 | 9 |
| I-49 | 2 |
| SR-3170 | 2 |
| US-165 | 2 |
| Mu-Lee Street | 1 |
| SR-1 | 1 |
| SR-112 | 1 |
| SR-3225 | 1 |
| SR-463 | 1 |
| SR-496 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rapides Parish) |
|---|---|
| I-49 | 252 |
| La-28 | 143 |
| US-71 | 139 |
| US-165 | 127 |
| US-167 | 60 |
| La-1 | 48 |
| La-112 | 28 |
| I-0 | 26 |
Rapides Parish at a glance
| Population | 125,899 |
| Land area | 1,324.1 sq mi |
| Density | 95 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $56,672 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rapides 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 | 31 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 69 | +121% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 97 | +40% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 94 | -3% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 31 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 94. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Rapides Parish
ZIP codes in Rapides Parish
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Rapides Parish
How common are truck crashes in Rapides Parish?
Since 2015, 1,152 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rapides Parish (848 injured, 27 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Rapides Parish?
SR-28 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Rapides Parish since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Rapides Parish?
Truck crashes in Rapides Parish peak in March, with 10.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Rapides Parish?
Garbage trucks were involved in 24 reported crashes in Rapides Parish since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Rapides Parish compare with Louisiana?
Rapides Parish records 75.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 81.5 across Louisiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Rapides Parish?
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.