Chelan, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chelan: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chelan and Chelan County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chelan County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 230 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chelan County compares with Washington
Chelan County against Washington and the US, 2015–2023 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chelan County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2023) | Chelan County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 26.3 | 25.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 53% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 29% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 38.5% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 4.0× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.2% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.6% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 57.8% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 1.3× the state |
| After dark | 25.5% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Chelan County has lower values than Washington for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Chelan County: 38.5% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 9.7% across Washington.
Overview
Since 2015, 230 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Chelan County. They injured 39 people and killed 3.
That averages about one truck crash every 17 days in fully reported years.
With 14 truck crashes reported in Chelan since 2015, this page uses Chelan County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 14.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (2.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 57.8% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 11.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 38.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chelan since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-MCNEIL Canyon Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 1.3%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for Chelan fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Chelan County.
- 31.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Washington; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 38.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Washington; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2024 and 2025 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Chelan County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-MCNEIL Canyon Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chelan County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-97*176.00 | 6 |
| Sr-2*110.00 | 4 |
| Sr-97*164.00 | 4 |
| Sr-2 Mp 096.20 | 3 |
| Sr-2*077.00 | 3 |
| Sr-2*115.00 | 3 |
| Sr-97*165.00 | 3 |
| Sr-97*170.00 | 3 |
Chelan at a glance
| Population | 4,462 |
| Land area | 6.7 sq mi |
| Density | 666 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chelan 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 | 16 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 16 | +1% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 19 | +17% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 21 | +12% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 16 to 21. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chelan
How many truck crashes happen in Chelan?
Chelan County has had 230 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 39 people and killing 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Chelan?
Truck crashes in Chelan County peak in January, with 14.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Chelan?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Chelan County since 2015 (1.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Chelan compared with Washington?
Chelan County records 26.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Chelan?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.