Arlington, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Arlington: 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
3.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Arlington compares with Texas
Arlington against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Arlington stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Arlington | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.7 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 42% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 59% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.3% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 22% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.6% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 15% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.8% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.5% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Texas, Arlington is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and after dark.
What stands out in Arlington: 1 in 50 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.0%, against 1.1% for Texas.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,742 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Arlington. They injured 1,121 people and killed 33.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.8% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Texas.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (6.8%).
Road surface: 1.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Texas: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-20 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (32). Next come I-30 (15), I-35 (14) and I-820 (13).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 34 crashes, 2.0% of the total, against 1.1% across Texas.
Their busiest month is June, with 24% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Arlington fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Arlington.
- Look at alternatives to I-20 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in June; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Arlington
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-20 | 32 |
| I-30 | 15 |
| I-35 | 14 |
| I-820 | 13 |
| US-287 | 10 |
| I-35W | 9 |
| SR-180 | 9 |
| SR-183 | 7 |
| SR-360 | 6 |
| SR-12 | 5 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Arlington) |
|---|---|
| Six Flags Dr | 27 |
| New York Ave | 17 |
| N 900 Watson Rd | 16 |
| Matlock Rd | 16 |
| S 200 Watson Rd | 15 |
| Tom Landry Fwy | 9 |
| N 300 Watson Rd | 9 |
| N 1100 Watson Rd | 8 |
Arlington at a glance
| Population | 403,672 |
| Land area | 95.8 sq mi |
| Density | 4,212 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 76015) | $73,709 |
| Median home value (ZIP 76015) | $256,395 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Arlington 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 | 108 | — | 11.5 |
| 2000s | 0 | -100% | 11.6 |
| 2010s | 87 | -20% | 14.8 |
| 2020s | 159 | +83% | 20.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 108 to 159. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 18.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 20.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Arlington
How common are truck crashes in Arlington?
Arlington has had 1,742 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,121 people and killing 33.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Arlington?
NHTSA data shows I-20 with 32 fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Arlington since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Arlington?
Truck crashes in Arlington peak in July, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Arlington?
34 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Arlington since 2015, 2.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Arlington compared with Texas?
The yearly rate is 36.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Arlington, vs 62.9 for Texas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Arlington?
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.