Bend, OR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bend: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bend and Deschutes County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Deschutes County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 661 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Deschutes County compares with Oregon
Deschutes County against Oregon and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Deschutes County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Deschutes County | Oregon | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 26.6 | 41.0 | 49.7 | 35% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.1 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.30 | 0.35 | 0.49 | 14% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 11% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 23.0% | 13.3% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.2% | 24.2% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.2% | 18.8% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.3% | 45.1% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 22.2% | 25.3% | 24.8% | 12% below the state |
Deschutes County has lower values than Oregon for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Oregon on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Deschutes County: 23.0% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 13.3% across Oregon.
Overview
Since 2015, 661 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Deschutes County. They injured 197 people and killed 39.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
Only 156 truck crashes were reported in Bend since 2015; patterns below come from Deschutes County as a whole.
When crashes happen
November has the most truck crashes, 12.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (5.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 50.3% of truck crashes, against 45.1% across Oregon.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.4%).
Road surface: 23.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Oregon: 13.3%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 15 miles of Bend is US-97, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-20 (3), CR-27TH St (1) and CR-CLINE Falls Hwy (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 2.0%, compared with 2.0% in Oregon.
Route planning tips for Bend fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-97 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 27.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Oregon.
- 23.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Oregon; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Deschutes County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-97 | 8 |
| US-20 | 3 |
| CR-27TH St | 1 |
| CR-CLINE Falls Hwy | 1 |
| CR-TUMALO Reservoir Rd | 1 |
| Knott Rd | 1 |
| Wall Street | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Deschutes County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 20 & Hamby Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 20 & Ward Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 97 & 61St St | 3 |
| Hwy 97 & Finley Butte Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 97 & Rosland Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 97 & Suzanne Ln | 3 |
| Hwy 97 & Sw Odem Medo Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 97 & Veterans Way | 3 |
Bend at a glance
| Population | 106,926 |
| Land area | 35.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,041 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Deschutes 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 | 42 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 39 | -6% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 42 | +6% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 63 | +51% | 3.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 42 to 63. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bend
How many truck accidents are there in Bend?
661 truck crashes have been reported in Deschutes County since 2015, with 39 deaths and 197 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Bend?
Since 2015, US-97 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Bend: 8.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Bend?
The worst month is November: 12.3% of truck crashes in Deschutes County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bend?
Since 2015, Deschutes County has reported 13 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Bend compared with Oregon?
Deschutes County records 26.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 41.0 across Oregon.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Bend?
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.