Arlington, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Arlington: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Arlington and Arlington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Arlington County numbers.
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 |
Compared with Virginia, Arlington County is lower on 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 crashes involve a garbage truck (19 since 2015), vs 2.5% across Virginia.
Overview
Arlington County has recorded 349 truck crashes since 2015, with 121 people injured and 2 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 12 days.
Only 19 truck crashes were reported in Arlington since 2015; patterns below come from Arlington County as a whole.
90% of truck crash reports in Arlington County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 12.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 5.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 32.8% of truck crashes, against 39.8% across Virginia.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.5% of truck crashes, compared with 3.0% in Virginia.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Arlington is I-495, with 17 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-95 (6), I-66 (3) and CR-617 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
19 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.4% share (Virginia: 2.5%).
Route planning tips for Arlington fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Arlington County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-495; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 29.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Virginia.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Arlington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 17 |
| I-95 | 6 |
| I-66 | 3 |
| CR-617 | 2 |
| SR-190 | 2 |
| SR-193 | 2 |
| SR-237 | 2 |
| SR-414 | 2 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| 21st St Nw | 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 at a glance
| Land area | 26.0 sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 31. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Arlington
How common are truck crashes in Arlington?
349 truck crashes have been reported in Arlington County since 2015, with 2 deaths and 121 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Arlington?
Since 2015, I-495 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Arlington: 17.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Arlington?
Truck crashes in Arlington County peak in August, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Arlington?
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 compared with Virginia?
The yearly rate is 12.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Arlington County, vs 51.1 for Virginia.
What is the best way to plan truck routes 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.