Kirkland, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kirkland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Kirkland and King County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use King County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.6 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How King County compares with Washington
King County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where King County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | King County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 22.1 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 14% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.17 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.3% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 56% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.5% | 20.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.5% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
King County sits below Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Kirkland: I-5 deadliest road: 6 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Kirkland since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 6,019 crashes involving commercial trucks in King County since 2015: 1,063 people were injured and 156 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 115 truck crashes reported in Kirkland since 2015, this page uses King County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.3% of the year) and are lowest in May (7.4%).
November through March accounts for 41.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 7.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-5 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). After it: SR-99 (4), I-405 (3) and 1st Ave S (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 180 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (12%).
They recorded 0.6 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Kirkland fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in King County.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in King County.
- 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 King County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 6 |
| SR-99 | 4 |
| I-405 | 3 |
| 1st Ave S | 1 |
| 30th Ave | 1 |
| CR-AVONDALE Rd Ne | 1 |
| E Marginal Way S | 1 |
| I-90 | 1 |
| Lenora St | 1 |
| Mu-Queen Anne Ave N | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (King County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-167*026.00 | 24 |
| Sr-167*024.00 | 23 |
| Sr-167*014.00 | 22 |
| Sr-18*026.30 | 19 |
| Sr-167*019.00 | 18 |
| Sr-18*002.00 | 18 |
| Sr-18*001.00 | 17 |
| Sr-18*003.00 | 16 |
Kirkland at a glance
| Population | 95,499 |
| Land area | 17.8 sq mi |
| Density | 5,363 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in King 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 | 330 | — | 10.3 |
| 2000s | 344 | +4% | 8.0 |
| 2010s | 451 | +31% | 7.2 |
| 2020s | 523 | +16% | 14.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 330 a year in the 1990s and 523 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 10.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 14.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kirkland
How many truck accidents are there in Kirkland?
King County has had 6,019 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,063 people and killing 156.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Kirkland?
NHTSA data shows I-5 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Kirkland since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Kirkland?
The worst month is October: 9.3% of truck crashes in King County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Kirkland?
Garbage trucks were involved in 180 reported crashes in King County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Kirkland compared with Washington?
The yearly rate is 22.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in King County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Kirkland?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.