Kings Valley, OR truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kings Valley: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Kings Valley and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 291 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Oregon
Polk County against Oregon and the US, 2016–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2016–2025) | Polk County | Oregon | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.2 | 41.0 | 49.7 | 29% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.1 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.35 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 2.0% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.5% | 13.3% | 6.2% | 66% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 33.3% | 24.2% | 23.7% | 1.4× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.7% | 18.8% | 13.8% | 38% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.4% | 45.1% | 41.9% | 19% below the state |
| After dark | 15.5% | 25.3% | 24.8% | 39% below the state |
Polk County sits below Oregon on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Oregon on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Polk County: 6.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Oregon: 3.9).
Overview
Police reported 291 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 127 people were injured and 16 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Kings Valley since 2015; patterns below come from Polk County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.0% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (4.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.4% of truck crashes, against 45.1% across Oregon.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 11.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.5% of truck crashes, compared with 13.3% in Oregon.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Kings Valley happened on US-20 (2), CR-CARDWELL Hill Dr (1) and SR-20 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 1.7% of the total, against 2.0% across Oregon.
Route planning tips for Kings Valley fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 33.3% of truck crashes here, more than Oregon; adjust start times where you can.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2015 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 2 |
| CR-CARDWELL Hill Dr | 1 |
| SR-20 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 99W & Bethel Rd | 5 |
| Clow Corner Rd & Riddell Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 22 & Perrydale Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 22 .45 E Hwy 99W On Ramp | 3 |
| Hwy 99 & Clow Corner Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 99 & Rickreall Rd | 3 |
| Hwy 99W & Clow Corner | 3 |
| Hwy 99W & Parker Rd | 3 |
Kings Valley at a glance
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 97361) | $69,505 |
| Median home value (ZIP 97361) | $448,224 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 76 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 17 | -78% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 22 | +35% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 23 | +4% | 1.6 |
In the 1990s about 76 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 23. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kings Valley
How many truck accidents are there in Kings Valley?
Since 2015, 291 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (127 injured, 16 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Kings Valley?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in January, with 11.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Kings Valley?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (1.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Kings Valley compare with Oregon?
Polk County records 29.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 41.0 across Oregon.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Kings Valley?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2015; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.