Klamath Falls, OR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Klamath Falls: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Klamath Falls and Klamath County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Klamath County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 975 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Klamath County compares with Oregon
Klamath County against Oregon and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Klamath County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Klamath County | Oregon | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 117.6 | 41.0 | 49.7 | 2.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 67% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 55.1% | 13.3% | 6.2% | 4.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 24.2% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.3% | 18.8% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 67.8% | 45.1% | 41.9% | 1.5× the state |
| After dark | 35.4% | 25.3% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Klamath County has lower values than Oregon for garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Klamath County: 55.1% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Oregon: 13.3%).
Overview
Police reported 975 crashes involving commercial trucks in Klamath County since 2015: 345 people were injured and 55 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
With 106 truck crashes reported in Klamath Falls since 2015, this page uses Klamath County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (17.2% of the year) and are lowest in August (3.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 67.8% of truck crashes, vs 45.1% for Oregon.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 55.1% of truck crashes, compared with 13.3% in Oregon.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Klamath Falls since 2015 were spread across roads: Pacific Terr (1), S 6th St (1), SR-140 (1), SR-140W (1) and US-97 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.7% share (Oregon: 2.0%).
Route planning tips for Klamath Falls fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 26.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Oregon.
- With 55.1% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Oregon), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Klamath County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Pacific Terr | 1 |
| S 6th St | 1 |
| SR-140 | 1 |
| SR-140W | 1 |
| US-97 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Klamath County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 97 & Hwy 138 | 11 |
| Hwy 97 & Silver Lake Rd | 7 |
| Hwy 97 .62 S Crystal Springs Rd | 7 |
| Hwy 97 .12 N Merritt Springs Rd | 6 |
| Hwy 97 .13 S Merritt Springs Rd | 6 |
| Hwy 97 .14 S Hackett Dr | 6 |
| Hwy 97 1.06 N Walker Springs Rd | 6 |
| Hwy 97 1.46 N Michael Rd | 6 |
Klamath Falls at a glance
| Population | 22,174 |
| Land area | 20.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,102 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 97634) | $68,450 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Klamath 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 | 72 | — | 5.2 |
| 2000s | 66 | -8% | 4.3 |
| 2010s | 66 | +0% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 94 | +41% | 4.0 |
In the 1990s about 72 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 94. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Klamath Falls
How common are truck crashes in Klamath Falls?
975 truck crashes have been reported in Klamath County since 2015, with 55 deaths and 345 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Klamath Falls?
January has the most truck crashes in Klamath County, 17.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Klamath Falls?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Klamath County since 2015, 0.7% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Klamath Falls compare with Oregon?
Per 100,000 residents, Klamath County has 117.6 truck crashes a year; Oregon has 41.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Klamath Falls?
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.