Centralia, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Centralia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Centralia and Lewis County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lewis County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 716 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lewis County compares with Washington
Lewis County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lewis County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lewis County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 70.4 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 2.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 46% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.5% | 9.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 16.8% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 32% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 31.9% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.3% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 33.8% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Lewis County sits below Washington on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow.
Lewis County at a glance: 31.9% in rain, sleet or snow, against 20.2% across Washington.
Overview
Since 2015, 716 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lewis County. They injured 161 people and killed 24.
That averages about one truck crash every 6 days in fully reported years.
Only 124 truck crashes were reported in Centralia since 2015; patterns below come from Lewis County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (11.6% of the year) and are lowest in May (4.6%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 49.3% of truck crashes, vs 43.8% for Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.0%).
9.5% 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 Centralia with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come CR-BUNKER Creek Rd (1), CR-HARRISON Ave (1) and CR-OLD Hwy 99 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for Centralia fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lewis County.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lewis County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 6 |
| CR-BUNKER Creek Rd | 1 |
| CR-HARRISON Ave | 1 |
| CR-OLD Hwy 99 | 1 |
| CR-OLD Hwy 99 Sw | 1 |
| US-12 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lewis County) |
|---|---|
| Bishop Rd Blk 1500 | 3 |
| Harrison Ave Blk 1000 | 3 |
| Harrison Ave Blk 900 | 3 |
| I 5 Mp 060.70 | 3 |
| Rush Rd Blk 1200 | 3 |
| Sr-12*095.00 | 3 |
| Sr-12*142.00 | 3 |
| Avery Rd W Blk 400 | 2 |
Centralia at a glance
| Population | 19,061 |
| Land area | 7.8 sq mi |
| Density | 2,441 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98531) | $63,406 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98531) | $344,395 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lewis 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 | 38 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 48 | +27% | 2.1 |
| 2010s | 57 | +17% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 60 | +5% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 38 to 60. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Centralia
How many truck crashes happen in Centralia?
Since 2015, 716 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lewis County (161 injured, 24 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Centralia?
I-5 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Centralia since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Centralia?
The worst month is February: 11.6% of truck crashes in Lewis County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Centralia?
Since 2015, Lewis County has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.1% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Centralia compared with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Lewis County has 70.4 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Centralia?
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.