Elma, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elma: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elma and Grays Harbor County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Grays Harbor County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 240 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Grays Harbor County compares with Washington
Grays Harbor County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Grays Harbor County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Grays Harbor County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 28.6 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.17 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.9% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 49% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.1% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.4% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.8% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 20.6% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 18% below the state |
Compared with Washington, Grays Harbor County is lower on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It runs above Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Grays Harbor County: 7.2 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.4 in Washington.
Overview
Since 2015, 240 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Grays Harbor County. They injured 39 people and killed 17.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 16 days.
Only 40 truck crashes were reported in Elma since 2015; patterns below come from Grays Harbor County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 11.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 4.6%.
November through March accounts for 49.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 11.2% of truck crashes.
4.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
SR-8 leads within 10 miles of Elma with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come CR-ELMA-HICKLIN Rd (1), SR-108 (1) and US-12 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for Elma fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to SR-8 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 29.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Washington.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Crash reporting for 2024 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 Grays Harbor County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-8 | 2 |
| CR-ELMA-HICKLIN Rd | 1 |
| SR-108 | 1 |
| US-12 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Grays Harbor County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-101*076.00 | 4 |
| Sr-101*134.00 | 4 |
| Sr-12*018.10 | 3 |
| Heron St/H St | 2 |
| Heron Street/G Street | 2 |
| Kirkpatrick Rd/Bunker Rd | 2 |
| Sr-101*070.50 | 2 |
| Sr-101*072.00 | 2 |
Elma at a glance
| Population | 3,515 |
| Land area | 2.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,272 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98583) | $62,750 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Grays Harbor 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 | 18 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 21 | +18% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 20 | -5% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 24 | +20% | 1.8 |
In the 1990s about 18 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 24. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elma
How many truck accidents are there in Elma?
240 truck crashes have been reported in Grays Harbor County since 2015, with 17 deaths and 39 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Elma?
SR-8 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Elma since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Elma?
The worst month is February: 11.7% of truck crashes in Grays Harbor County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elma?
8 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Grays Harbor County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
How does Elma compare with Washington for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Grays Harbor County has 28.6 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Elma?
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; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.