Polk County, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polk County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
14 of 751 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Texas
Polk County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 118.5 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 1.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.60 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.7% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 57% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.0% | 11.3% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.2% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.9% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Polk County sits below Texas on on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It runs above Texas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Polk County at a glance: 2.0× change in fatal truck crashes a year in Polk County (2.2 → 4.6).
Overview
Police reported 751 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 460 people were injured and 47 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.4% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.2% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Texas.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
0.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across Texas.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Polk County is US-59, with 16 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-190 (6), US-287 (4) and Bu-59 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 14 of the truck crashes here, or 1.9%, compared with 1.1% in Texas.
Route planning tips for Polk County fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-59; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.3% of truck crashes here, more than Texas; 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
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Polk County) |
|---|---|
| US-59 | 16 |
| US-190 | 6 |
| US-287 | 4 |
| Bu-59 | 1 |
| Fm 2610 | 1 |
| Fm 3277 | 1 |
| Fm 350 | 1 |
| Fm 356 | 1 |
| SR-146 | 1 |
| US-190E | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| US-59 | 30 |
| N 100 Home St | 12 |
| US-190 | 12 |
| N 700 Home St | 5 |
| E 200 Church St | 4 |
| N 300 Home St | 4 |
| W 1500 Church St | 4 |
| W 1600 Church St | 4 |
Polk County at a glance
| Population | 54,258 |
| Land area | 1,057.1 sq mi |
| Density | 51 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $63,458 |
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 | 57 | — | 2.4 |
| 2000s | 62 | +9% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 56 | -10% | 2.8 |
| 2020s | 72 | +30% | 4.6 |
In the 1990s about 57 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 72. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 4.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Polk County
ZIP codes in Polk County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Polk County
How many truck accidents are there in Polk County?
Since 2015, 751 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (460 injured, 47 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Polk County?
Since 2015, US-59 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Polk County: 16.
When do most truck crashes happen in Polk County?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in July, with 10.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Polk County?
14 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015, 1.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Polk County compared with Texas?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 118.5 truck crashes a year; Texas has 62.9.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Polk County?
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.