Waterloo, OR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Waterloo: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Waterloo and Linn County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Linn County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10 of 1,030 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Linn County compares with Oregon
Linn County against Oregon and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Linn County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Linn County | Oregon | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.9 | 41.0 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.35 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 59% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.7% | 13.3% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.3% | 24.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.1% | 18.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.7% | 45.1% | 41.9% | 12% below the state |
| After dark | 25.6% | 25.3% | 24.8% | same |
Linn County sits below Oregon on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and deaths per 100 crashes.
The headline for Linn County: 1 in 122 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.8%, against 2.0% for Oregon.
Overview
Police reported 1,030 crashes involving commercial trucks in Linn County since 2015: 343 people were injured and 43 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Waterloo since 2015, this page uses Linn County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.3% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.3%).
November through March accounts for 39.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.1% in Oregon.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
6.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 13.3% across Oregon.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Waterloo is US-20, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-34 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 10 of the truck crashes here, or 1.0%, compared with 2.0% in Oregon.
Route planning tips for Waterloo fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-20; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Linn County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 8 |
| SR-34 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Linn County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 34 & Oakville Rd | 9 |
| Hwy 34 & Olson Rd | 7 |
| I-5 2.70 N Diamond Hill Rd Exit | 6 |
| Hwy 20 & Airport Rd | 5 |
| I-5 1.20 N Hwy 228 Exit | 5 |
| Hwy 34 & Hwy 34 Bypass | 4 |
| Hwy 34 & I-5 Sb Exit Ramp | 4 |
| Hwy 34 & Seven Mile Ln | 4 |
Waterloo at a glance
| Population | 226 |
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,852 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 97355) | $68,595 |
| Median home value (ZIP 97355) | $363,979 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Linn 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 | 50 | — | 2.8 |
| 2000s | 53 | +7% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 67 | +27% | 2.1 |
| 2020s | 100 | +49% | 4.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 50 to 100. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 3.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Waterloo
How many truck accidents are there in Waterloo?
Since 2015, 1,030 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Linn County (343 injured, 43 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Waterloo?
Since 2015, US-20 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Waterloo: 8.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Waterloo?
The worst month is July: 10.3% of truck crashes in Linn County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Waterloo?
Garbage trucks were involved in 10 reported crashes in Linn County since 2015 (1.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Waterloo compare with Oregon?
Linn County records 66.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 41.0 across Oregon.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Waterloo?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.