Mercer Island, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mercer Island: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mercer Island 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 |
Compared with Washington, King County is lower 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 Mercer Island: 1.7× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Mercer Island (4.0 → 6.8).
Overview
Police reported 6,019 crashes involving commercial trucks in King County since 2015: 1,063 people were injured and 156 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Only 34 truck crashes were reported in Mercer Island since 2015; patterns below come from King County as a whole.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (7.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.5% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
4.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
I-5 leads within 10 miles of Mercer Island with 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-181 (5), I-405 (4) and I-90 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
180 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Their busiest month is April, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.6, vs 2.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Mercer Island fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in King County.
- Check whether your routes use I-5, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in April; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 | 11 |
| SR-181 | 5 |
| I-405 | 4 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| SR-509 | 2 |
| SR-900 | 2 |
| SR-99 | 2 |
| 1st Ave S | 1 |
| 30th Ave | 1 |
| 37th Ave S | 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 |
Mercer Island at a glance
| Population | 25,302 |
| Land area | 6.4 sq mi |
| Density | 3,964 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98040) | $219,069 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98040) | $1,989,868 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 10.0 a year in 2016–19, 14.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Mercer Island
How many truck crashes happen in Mercer Island?
Since 2015, 6,019 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in King County (1,063 injured, 156 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Mercer Island?
I-5 had 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Mercer Island since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Mercer Island?
The worst month is October: 9.3% of truck crashes in King County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Mercer Island?
180 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in King County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Mercer Island compare with Washington for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, King County has 22.1 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Mercer Island?
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.