Arlington County, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Arlington 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
19 of 349 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Arlington County compares with Virginia
Arlington County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Arlington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Arlington County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 12.6 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 75% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.6 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 77% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 20% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.7% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.5% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.5% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 41% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 32.8% | 39.8% | 41.9% | 18% below the state |
| After dark | 16.3% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 33% below the state |
Arlington County has lower values than Virginia for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Arlington County at a glance: 1 in 17 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 5.7%, vs 2.5% in Virginia.
Overview
Since 2015, 349 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Arlington County. They injured 121 people and killed 2.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 12 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (12.6% of the year) and are lowest in February (5.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 32.8% of truck crashes, vs 39.8% for Virginia.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Virginia: 3.0%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Arlington County since 2015: SR-237 (1) and SR-27 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 19 crashes, 5.4% of the total, against 2.5% across Virginia.
Route planning tips for Arlington County fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 29.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Virginia.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Arlington County) |
|---|---|
| SR-237 | 1 |
| SR-27 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Arlington County) |
|---|---|
| I-395 | 49 |
| I-395 North | 32 |
| Washington Blvd | 16 |
| I-66 | 12 |
| Wilson Blvd | 11 |
| Columbia Pike | 9 |
| I-395 South | 8 |
| Langston Blvd | 7 |
Arlington County at a glance
| Population | 239,807 |
| Land area | 26.0 sq mi |
| Density | 9,224 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $153,784 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Arlington 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 | 6 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 21 | +262% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 26 | +24% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 31 | +22% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 31 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Arlington County
ZIP codes in Arlington County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Arlington County
How many truck crashes happen in Arlington County?
349 truck crashes have been reported in Arlington County since 2015, with 2 deaths and 121 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Arlington County?
The worst month is August: 12.6% of truck crashes in Arlington County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Arlington County?
Since 2015, Arlington County has reported 19 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Arlington County compared with Virginia?
Per 100,000 residents, Arlington County has 12.6 truck crashes a year; Virginia has 51.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Arlington County?
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.