Pierce County, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pierce County: 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
4.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Pierce County compares with Washington
Pierce County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pierce County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pierce County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.4 | 25.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 29% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.0% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 79% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.5% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.5% | 20.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.0% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Washington, Pierce County is lower on garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Pierce County: I-5 most fatal truck crashes in Pierce County: 16 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks in Pierce County since 2015: 514 people were injured and 87 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.0% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 6.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Pierce County is I-5, with 16 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-7 (6), SR-161 (4) and SR-167 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 44 of the truck crashes here, or 1.6%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in June (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.9, vs 3.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Pierce County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Pierce County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-5; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at June schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Pierce County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Pierce County) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 16 |
| SR-7 | 6 |
| SR-161 | 4 |
| SR-167 | 4 |
| SR-702 | 3 |
| 70th Ave E | 2 |
| CR-ORTING Kapowsin Hwy | 2 |
| SR-509 | 2 |
| SR-512 | 2 |
| SR-99 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pierce County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-512*001.00 | 30 |
| Sr-167*006.00 | 19 |
| Sr-167*010.00 | 17 |
| Sr-167*007.00 | 16 |
| Sr-509*002.00 | 15 |
| Sr-167*008.00 | 14 |
| Sr-167*009.00 | 13 |
| Sr-16*001.00 | 13 |
Pierce County at a glance
| Population | 941,170 |
| Land area | 1,668.0 sq mi |
| Density | 564 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $100,623 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pierce 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 | 100 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 147 | +47% | 5.4 |
| 2010s | 200 | +36% | 4.5 |
| 2020s | 246 | +23% | 8.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 100 a year in the 1990s and 246 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 7.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Pierce County
ZIP codes in Pierce County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Pierce County
How many truck accidents are there in Pierce County?
2,807 truck crashes have been reported in Pierce County since 2015, with 87 deaths and 514 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Pierce County?
NHTSA data shows I-5 with 16 fatal large-truck crashes in Pierce County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Pierce County?
Truck crashes in Pierce County peak in January, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Pierce County?
Since 2015, Pierce County has reported 44 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Pierce County compared with Washington?
The yearly rate is 25.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Pierce County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Pierce County?
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.