La Center, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in La Center: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in La Center and Clark County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Clark County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
21 of 990 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Clark County compares with Washington
Clark County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Clark County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Clark County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 16.3 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 37% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 29% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.19 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 8% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.8% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 61% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.7% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.1% | 20.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.7% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Clark County has lower values than Washington for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for La Center: I-5 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of La Center: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 990 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Clark County. They injured 191 people and killed 23.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
La Center had 48 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Clark County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in November (10.3% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.7% of truck crashes, vs 43.8% for Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.8% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of La Center is I-5, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-503 (2), CR-NE 259Th St (1) and CR-NE 82Nd Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 21 of the truck crashes here, or 2.1%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Their busiest month is May, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Route planning tips for La Center fleets
- Plan November schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Clark County.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Clark County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 5 |
| SR-503 | 2 |
| CR-NE 259Th St | 1 |
| CR-NE 82Nd Ave | 1 |
| CR-NE Cedar Creek Rd | 1 |
| CR-NW Pacific Hwy | 1 |
| Ne 23rd Ct | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Clark County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-14*001.00 | 5 |
| Sr-500*001.00 | 5 |
| Ne 78Th St Blk 3000 | 3 |
| Sr-14*006.00 | 3 |
| Sr-500*004.00 | 3 |
| Sr-500*005.00 | 3 |
| Sr-502*001.00 | 3 |
| Sr-503*001.00 | 3 |
La Center at a glance
| Population | 4,256 |
| Land area | 2.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,618 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98629) | $106,779 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98629) | $610,183 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Clark 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 | 29 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 62 | +114% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 73 | +18% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 90 | +23% | 3.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 29 a year in the 1990s and 90 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about La Center
How common are truck crashes in La Center?
990 truck crashes have been reported in Clark County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 191 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in La Center?
NHTSA data shows I-5 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of La Center since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in La Center?
Truck crashes in Clark County peak in November, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in La Center?
Garbage trucks were involved in 21 reported crashes in Clark County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
How does La Center compare with Washington for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 16.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Clark County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in La Center?
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.