Great Falls, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Great Falls: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Great Falls and Fairfax County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Fairfax County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Fairfax County compares with Virginia
Fairfax County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Fairfax County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Fairfax County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.6 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 32% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 54% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.3% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 37% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.4% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 30% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.7% | 39.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.0% | 24.3% | 24.8% | same |
Fairfax County has lower values than Virginia for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Fairfax County: May garbage-truck crashes peak in May (16% of the year's total).
Overview
Since 2015, 4,649 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Fairfax County. They injured 2,015 people and killed 54.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Great Falls since 2015; patterns below come from Fairfax County as a whole.
85% of truck crash reports in Fairfax County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 9.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 6.9%.
November through March accounts for 37.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 39.8% in Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 3.0% in Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-495 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). After it: I-66 (3), I-270 (2) and SR-190 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 151 crashes, 3.2% of the total, against 2.5% across Virginia.
Their busiest month is May, with 16% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.4 deaths compared with 1.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Great Falls fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Fairfax County.
- Look at alternatives to I-495 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- 24.7% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Virginia; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Fairfax County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 6 |
| I-66 | 3 |
| I-270 | 2 |
| SR-190 | 2 |
| CR-1036 | 1 |
| CR-4721 | 1 |
| CR-668 | 1 |
| CR-681 | 1 |
| CR-846 | 1 |
| SR-267 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Fairfax County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 358 |
| I-495 | 190 |
| I-66 West | 190 |
| I-495 South | 186 |
| I-66 East | 182 |
| I-495 North | 181 |
| I-66 | 114 |
| I-95 South | 80 |
Great Falls at a glance
| Land area | 25.4 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 22066) | $250,001 |
| Median home value (ZIP 22066) | $1,322,655 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Fairfax 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 | 163 | — | 4.8 |
| 2000s | 326 | +99% | 5.8 |
| 2010s | 422 | +30% | 3.9 |
| 2020s | 407 | -4% | 5.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 163 a year in the 1990s and 407 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 4.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Great Falls
How common are truck crashes in Great Falls?
Fairfax County has had 4,649 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,015 people and killing 54.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Great Falls?
Since 2015, I-495 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Great Falls: 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Great Falls?
The worst month is June: 9.9% of truck crashes in Fairfax County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Great Falls?
Since 2015, Fairfax County has reported 151 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.2% of its truck crashes.
How does Great Falls compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Fairfax County has 34.6 truck crashes a year; Virginia has 51.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Great Falls?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.