Elk Plain, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elk Plain: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elk Plain and Pierce County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Pierce County numbers.
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.
What stands out in Pierce County: 2.0% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.7% in Washington.
Overview
Pierce County has recorded 2,807 truck crashes since 2015, with 514 people injured and 87 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Elk Plain since 2015; patterns below come from Pierce County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in April (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.
2.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Elk Plain since 2015: SR-161 (4), SR-7 (4), SR-702 (3), CR-ORTING Kapowsin Hwy (2) and I-5 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
44 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.6% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Their busiest month is June, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.9, vs 3.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Elk Plain fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in June; review collection routes for that month.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-161 | 4 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| SR-702 | 3 |
| CR-ORTING Kapowsin Hwy | 2 |
| I-5 | 2 |
| SR-512 | 2 |
| CR-112TH St S | 1 |
| CR-116TH St S | 1 |
| CR-200TH St E | 1 |
| CR-224TH St E | 1 |
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 |
Elk Plain at a glance
| Land area | 8.4 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98387) | $106,872 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98387) | $459,310 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 100 to 246. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 7.0 a year in 2016–19 and 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elk Plain
How common are truck crashes in Elk Plain?
Since 2015, 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Pierce County (514 injured, 87 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Elk Plain?
Truck crashes in Pierce County peak in January, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Elk Plain?
Garbage trucks were involved in 44 reported crashes in Pierce County since 2015 (1.6% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Elk Plain compare with Washington?
Pierce County records 25.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Elk Plain?
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.