Kelso, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kelso: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Kelso and Cowlitz County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cowlitz County numbers.
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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
The headline for Kelso: US-30 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Kelso: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 597 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cowlitz County. They injured 109 people and killed 14.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
With 169 truck crashes reported in Kelso since 2015, this page uses Cowlitz County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (10.7% of the year) and are lowest in August (6.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.0% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (7.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 9.2% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-30 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). It is followed by I-5 (3), SR-432 (2) and CR-APIARY Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 2.2%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for Kelso fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cowlitz County.
- Check whether your routes use US-30, 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 Cowlitz County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-30 | 4 |
| I-5 | 3 |
| SR-432 | 2 |
| CR-APIARY Rd | 1 |
| CR-MOUNT Pleasant Rd | 1 |
| SR-411 | 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 |
Kelso at a glance
| Population | 12,737 |
| Land area | 8.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,566 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 26 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 56. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kelso
How many truck crashes happen in Kelso?
Cowlitz County has had 597 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 109 people and killing 14.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Kelso?
US-30 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Kelso since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Kelso?
May has the most truck crashes in Cowlitz County, 10.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Kelso?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Cowlitz County since 2015 (2.2% of truck crashes).
How does Kelso compare with Washington for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 44.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cowlitz County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Kelso?
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.