Damascus, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Damascus: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Damascus and Washington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Washington County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10 of 726 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Washington County compares with Virginia
Washington County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Washington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Washington County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 115.1 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 2.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 43% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.0% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.1% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.4% | 39.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.1% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Washington County has lower values than Virginia for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Damascus: I-81 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Damascus since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 726 crashes involving commercial trucks in Washington County since 2015: 295 people were injured and 21 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
Damascus had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Washington County numbers.
82% of truck crash reports in Washington County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (6.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.4% of truck crashes, against 39.8% across Virginia.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 8.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Virginia: 3.0%).
Where crashes happen
I-81 leads within 10 miles of Damascus with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-91 (2), US-11 (2) and US-58 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 10 crashes, 1.4% of the total, against 2.5% across Virginia.
Route planning tips for Damascus fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Washington County.
- Check whether your routes use I-81, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Washington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 3 |
| SR-91 | 2 |
| US-11 | 2 |
| US-58 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Washington County) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 226 |
| I-81 North | 83 |
| I-81 South | 56 |
| SR-11 | 23 |
| SR-19 | 16 |
| SR-91 | 12 |
| SR-80 | 11 |
| I - 81 South | 9 |
Damascus at a glance
| Population | 790 |
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Density | 991 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 24236) | $28,983 |
| Median home value (ZIP 24236) | $136,283 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Washington 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 | 38 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 47 | +25% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 50 | +6% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 68 | +38% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 38 a year in the 1990s and 68 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Damascus
How common are truck crashes in Damascus?
726 truck crashes have been reported in Washington County since 2015, with 21 deaths and 295 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Damascus?
Since 2015, I-81 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Damascus: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Damascus?
Truck crashes in Washington County peak in July, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Damascus?
Garbage trucks were involved in 10 reported crashes in Washington County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
How does Damascus compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
Washington County records 115.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 51.1 across Virginia.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Damascus?
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.