Melrose, OR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Melrose: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Melrose and Douglas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Douglas County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 988 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Douglas County compares with Oregon
Douglas County against Oregon and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Douglas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Douglas County | Oregon | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 75.0 | 41.0 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.35 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 68% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.9% | 13.3% | 6.2% | 63% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.9% | 24.2% | 23.7% | 22% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.8% | 18.8% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.2% | 45.1% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 30.8% | 25.3% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Oregon, Douglas County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Oregon on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Douglas County: 1 in 154 crashes involve a garbage truck (6 since 2015), vs 2.0% across Oregon.
Overview
Douglas County has recorded 988 truck crashes since 2015, with 328 people injured and 46 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Melrose had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Douglas County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 10.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 7.1%.
November through March accounts for 41.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.1% in Oregon.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 6.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.9% of truck crashes, compared with 13.3% in Oregon.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Melrose since 2015 were spread across roads: I-5 (5), SR-42 (5), SR-138 (2), SR-99 (1) and Stewart Park Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 0.6%, compared with 2.0% in Oregon.
Route planning tips for Melrose fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Douglas County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Douglas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 5 |
| SR-42 | 5 |
| SR-138 | 2 |
| SR-99 | 1 |
| Stewart Park Dr | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Douglas County) |
|---|---|
| I-5 .04 N Salt Springs Rd Exit | 6 |
| I-5 .19 S Hwy 99 On Ramp | 4 |
| Hwy 42 & Brockway Rd | 3 |
| I-5 & Harvard Ave On Ramp | 3 |
| I-5 .02 N Cabin Creek Rest Area On Ramp | 3 |
| I-5 .03 N Elkhead Rd Exit | 3 |
| I-5 .08 N Edenbower Blvd On Ramp | 3 |
| I-5 .08 N Hwy 99 Exit | 3 |
Melrose at a glance
| Land area | 4.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 97471) | $71,670 |
| Median home value (ZIP 97471) | $358,410 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Douglas 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 | 45 | — | 4.8 |
| 2000s | 71 | +59% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 72 | +0% | 3.0 |
| 2020s | 84 | +17% | 4.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 45 to 84. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 3.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Melrose
How common are truck crashes in Melrose?
988 truck crashes have been reported in Douglas County since 2015, with 46 deaths and 328 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Melrose?
July has the most truck crashes in Douglas County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Melrose?
Since 2015, Douglas County has reported 6 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Melrose compared with Oregon?
The yearly rate is 75.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Douglas County, vs 41.0 for Oregon.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Melrose?
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.