Wenatchee, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wenatchee: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wenatchee 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 |
Compared with Washington, Chelan County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Washington on on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Chelan County: 38.5% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Overview
Police reported 230 crashes involving commercial trucks in Chelan County since 2015: 39 people were injured and 3 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 17 days in fully reported years.
Wenatchee had 52 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Chelan County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 14.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (2.6%).
November through March accounts for 57.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 11.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 38.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wenatchee since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-28 (1) and Skyline Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 1.3% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Route planning tips for Wenatchee fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Chelan County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 31.2% of truck crashes here, more than Washington; adjust start times where you can.
- 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.
Reporting was incomplete in 2024 and 2025, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
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) |
|---|---|
| SR-28 | 1 |
| Skyline Dr | 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 |
Wenatchee at a glance
| Population | 35,401 |
| Land area | 10.6 sq mi |
| Density | 3,327 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98801) | $81,488 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98801) | $456,005 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 16 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 21. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wenatchee
How many truck accidents are there in Wenatchee?
230 truck crashes have been reported in Chelan County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 39 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Wenatchee?
January has the most truck crashes in Chelan County, 14.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Wenatchee?
Since 2015, Chelan County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Wenatchee compared with Washington?
Chelan County records 26.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wenatchee?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
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.