Merrifield, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Merrifield: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Merrifield 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. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Fairfax County: May more garbage-truck crashes happen in May than in any other month (16%).
Overview
Police reported 4,649 crashes involving commercial trucks in Fairfax County since 2015: 2,015 people were injured and 54 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Merrifield had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Fairfax County numbers.
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.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 3.0% in Virginia.
Where crashes happen
I-495 leads within 10 miles of Merrifield with 14 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-66 (4), SR-286 (3) and CR-617 (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 Merrifield 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.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Fairfax County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 24.7% of truck crashes here, more than Virginia; 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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 | 14 |
| I-66 | 4 |
| SR-286 | 3 |
| CR-617 | 2 |
| I-95 | 2 |
| SR-123 | 2 |
| SR-190 | 2 |
| SR-237 | 2 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| CR-2735 | 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 |
Merrifield at a glance
| Land area | 2.7 sq mi |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 163 to 407. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.0 a year in 2016–19 and 5.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Merrifield
How common are truck crashes in Merrifield?
4,649 truck crashes have been reported in Fairfax County since 2015, with 54 deaths and 2,015 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Merrifield?
NHTSA data shows I-495 with 14 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Merrifield since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Merrifield?
The worst month is June: 9.9% of truck crashes in Fairfax County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Merrifield?
Since 2015, Fairfax County has reported 151 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.2% of its truck crashes.
How does Merrifield compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
Fairfax County records 34.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 51.1 across Virginia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Merrifield?
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.