Port Townsend, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Port Townsend: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Port Townsend and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 136 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Washington
Jefferson County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.5 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.7 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 1.8× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.9% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 60% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.8% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.7% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.4% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.8% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 29% below the state |
Compared with Washington, Jefferson County is lower on on snow, slush or ice and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Jefferson County: February the month with the most truck crashes: 15.4% of the year's total.
Overview
Jefferson County has recorded 136 truck crashes since 2015, with 43 people injured and 6 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 31 days.
Port Townsend had 117 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Jefferson County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (15.4% of the year) and are lowest in November (3.7%).
November through March accounts for 43.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (12.5%).
Road surface: 3.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Port Townsend happened on SR-20 (3) and US-101 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Route planning tips for Port Townsend fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 31.8% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Washington.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-20 | 3 |
| US-101 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-104*008.00 | 3 |
| Sr-20*006.25 | 3 |
| Sr-101*176.00 | 2 |
| Sr-101*280.00 | 2 |
| Sr-101*293.10 | 2 |
| Sr-101*301.00 | 2 |
| Sr-101*311.00 | 2 |
| Sr-104*013.76 | 2 |
Port Townsend at a glance
| Population | 10,649 |
| Land area | 6.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,534 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98358) | $110,368 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98358) | $649,723 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 6 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 7 | +27% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 9 | +28% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 12 | +27% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Port Townsend
How common are truck crashes in Port Townsend?
Jefferson County has had 136 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 43 people and killing 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Port Townsend?
The worst month is February: 15.4% of truck crashes in Jefferson County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Port Townsend?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Port Townsend compared with Washington?
The yearly rate is 34.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jefferson County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Port Townsend?
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.