Ontario, OR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ontario: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ontario and Malheur County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Malheur County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 657 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Malheur County compares with Oregon
Malheur County against Oregon and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Malheur County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Malheur County | Oregon | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 173.9 | 41.0 | 49.7 | 4.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.35 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.5% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 76% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.7% | 13.3% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 24.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.2% | 18.8% | 13.8% | 46% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 45.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 37.1% | 25.3% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Malheur County sits below Oregon on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Oregon on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Malheur County: 1 in 204 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.5%, against 2.0% for Oregon.
Overview
Police reported 657 crashes involving commercial trucks in Malheur County since 2015: 216 people were injured and 27 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
Only 62 truck crashes were reported in Ontario since 2015; patterns below come from Malheur County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.8% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.9% of truck crashes, against 45.1% across Oregon.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 6.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 16.7% of truck crashes, compared with 13.3% in Oregon.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Ontario happened on SR-201 (3), US-95 (3), I-84 (2) and Sw 1st Ave (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 0.5%, compared with 2.0% in Oregon.
Route planning tips for Ontario fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 16.7% 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
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 Malheur County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-201 | 3 |
| US-95 | 3 |
| I-84 | 2 |
| Sw 1st Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Malheur County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 95 1.02 S Danner Loop Rd | 6 |
| I-84 .84 W Hwy 30 Exit | 5 |
| Hwy 95 1.08 S Sheaville Rd | 4 |
| Hwy 95 4.02 S Old Ion Hwy | 4 |
| E Idaho Ave & Ne 4Th St | 3 |
| Hwy 20 .34 W Harper Dam Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 201 & Nw 4Th Ave | 3 |
| Hwy 201 & Sw 18Th Ave | 3 |
Ontario at a glance
| Population | 11,957 |
| Land area | 6.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,998 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 97914) | $50,857 |
| Median home value (ZIP 97914) | $263,621 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Malheur 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 | 17 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 30 | +74% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 44 | +47% | 1.3 |
| 2020s | 62 | +40% | 2.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 17 a year in the 1990s and 62 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ontario
How many truck crashes happen in Ontario?
657 truck crashes have been reported in Malheur County since 2015, with 27 deaths and 216 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ontario?
Truck crashes in Malheur County peak in January, with 10.8% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ontario?
Since 2015, Malheur County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ontario compared with Oregon?
The yearly rate is 173.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Malheur County, vs 41.0 for Oregon.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ontario?
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.