Seattle, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Seattle: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Seattle compares with Washington
Seattle against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Seattle stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Seattle | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 16.4 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 36% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 50% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.20 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.8% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 92% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.4% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.4% | 20.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.5% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 19.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 21% below the state |
Seattle has lower values than Washington for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Seattle: 1 in 23 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.3%, against 2.2% for Washington.
Overview
Police reported 1,481 crashes involving commercial trucks in Seattle since 2015: 289 people were injured and 26 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.1%.
November through March accounts for 39.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.8% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
I-5 leads within 15 miles of Seattle with 13 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-405 (7), SR-99 (6) and SR-181 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 65 crashes, 4.4% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (15% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Seattle fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Seattle
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 13 |
| I-405 | 7 |
| SR-99 | 6 |
| SR-181 | 5 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| SR-509 | 2 |
| SR-900 | 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 (Seattle) |
|---|---|
| E Marginal Way | 7 |
| Sr-99*024.00 | 5 |
| 1St Ave S/S Spokane St | 5 |
| Sr-99*026.90 | 3 |
| Sw Spokane St Blk 1000 | 3 |
| Lake Washington Blvd | 3 |
| Rainier Ave | 3 |
| Klickitat Ave Sw Blk 3400 | 3 |
Seattle at a glance
| Population | 780,995 |
| Land area | 84.0 sq mi |
| Density | 9,298 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98121) | $152,019 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98121) | $839,516 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Seattle 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 | 96 | — | 10.3 |
| 2000s | 104 | +8% | 8.0 |
| 2010s | 131 | +26% | 7.2 |
| 2020s | 118 | -10% | 14.6 |
In the 1990s about 96 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 118. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 10.0 a year in 2016–19 and 14.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Seattle
How many truck accidents are there in Seattle?
1,481 truck crashes have been reported in Seattle since 2015, with 26 deaths and 289 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Seattle?
I-5 had 13 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Seattle since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Seattle?
October has the most truck crashes in Seattle, 9.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Seattle?
Garbage trucks were involved in 65 reported crashes in Seattle since 2015 (4.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Seattle compare with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Seattle has 16.4 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Seattle?
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.