Cowlitz County, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cowlitz County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 597 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cowlitz County compares with Washington
Cowlitz County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cowlitz County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cowlitz County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 44.8 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 26% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.17 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.2% | 9.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 29.0% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.0% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.2% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Cowlitz County has lower values than Washington for deaths per 100 crashes. It runs above Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
The headline for Cowlitz County: I-5 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road in Cowlitz County.
Overview
Police reported 597 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cowlitz County since 2015: 109 people were injured and 14 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 10.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 6.5%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.0% of truck crashes, vs 43.8% for Washington.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 7.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 9.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Cowlitz County is I-5, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-432 (2), CR-KALAMA River Rd (1) and CR-MOUNT Pleasant Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 13 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Route planning tips for Cowlitz County fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cowlitz County.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Cowlitz County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Cowlitz County) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 5 |
| SR-432 | 2 |
| CR-KALAMA River Rd | 1 |
| CR-MOUNT Pleasant Rd | 1 |
| SR-411 | 1 |
| SR-504 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cowlitz County) |
|---|---|
| Industrial Way | 8 |
| Sr-432*010.00 | 6 |
| 3Rd Ave Blk 500 | 4 |
| I-5 Mp 054.10 | 3 |
| Sr-432*004.40 | 3 |
| Sr-432*004.50 | 3 |
| Sr-433*001.00 | 3 |
| Tennant Way Blk 600 | 3 |
Cowlitz County at a glance
| Population | 113,982 |
| Land area | 1,141.2 sq mi |
| Density | 100 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $78,268 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cowlitz 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 | 26 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 37 | +40% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 43 | +18% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 56 | +29% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 26 to 56. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Cowlitz County
ZIP codes in Cowlitz County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Cowlitz County
How many truck crashes happen in Cowlitz County?
Cowlitz County has had 597 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 109 people and killing 14.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Cowlitz County?
I-5 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Cowlitz County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Cowlitz County?
The worst month is May: 10.7% of truck crashes in Cowlitz County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Cowlitz County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Cowlitz County since 2015 (2.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Cowlitz County compare with Washington?
The yearly rate is 44.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cowlitz County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cowlitz County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.