Carolina, RI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Carolina: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Carolina and Washington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Washington County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 212 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Washington County compares with Rhode Island
Washington County against Rhode Island and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Washington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Washington County | Rhode Island | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 13.5 | 14.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 7% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.70 | 0.64 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.7% | 4.6% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.7% | 5.6% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.6% | 28.0% | 23.7% | 30% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.9% | 14.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.8% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 11.9% | 19.0% | 24.8% | 38% below the state |
Washington County sits below Rhode Island on deaths per 100 crashes, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark. It runs above Rhode Island on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Washington County: February 12.7% of truck crashes happen in February, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 212 crashes involving commercial trucks in Washington County since 2015: 145 people were injured and 5 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 21 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Carolina since 2015, this page uses Washington County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 12.7% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Rhode Island.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (12.3%).
6.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 5.6% across Rhode Island.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Carolina happened on I-95 (3); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 12 of the truck crashes here, or 5.7%, compared with 4.6% in Rhode Island.
Route planning tips for Carolina fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 6.7% of truck crashes here, more than Rhode Island; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Washington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Washington County) |
|---|---|
| SR-95 | 31 |
| Kingstown Rd | 14 |
| Ten Rod Rd | 13 |
| Tower Hill Rd | 11 |
| Post Rd | 10 |
| South County Trl | 8 |
| SR-4 | 7 |
| Commodore Perry (Route 1) Hwy | 5 |
Carolina at a glance
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Washington 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 | 10 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 27 | +162% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 20 | -26% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 16 | -18% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 10 to 16. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Carolina
How common are truck crashes in Carolina?
212 truck crashes have been reported in Washington County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 145 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Carolina?
The worst month is February: 12.7% of truck crashes in Washington County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Carolina?
Since 2015, Washington County has reported 12 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.7% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Carolina compared with Rhode Island?
Per 100,000 residents, Washington County has 13.5 truck crashes a year; Rhode Island has 14.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Carolina?
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.