Gig Harbor, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Gig Harbor: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Gig Harbor 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 |
Pierce County has lower values than Washington for garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Gig Harbor at a glance: SR-16 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Gig Harbor: 2 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks in Pierce County since 2015: 514 people were injured and 87 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Gig Harbor had 56 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Pierce County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.8%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.0% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (6.9%).
Road surface: 2.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Gig Harbor is SR-16, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-118TH Ave Nw (1), CR-KEY Peninsula Hwy Nw (1) and SR-302 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 44 crashes, 1.6% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Their busiest month is June, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 4.9 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Gig Harbor fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-16, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Pierce County.
- 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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-16 | 2 |
| CR-118TH Ave Nw | 1 |
| CR-KEY Peninsula Hwy Nw | 1 |
| SR-302 | 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 |
Gig Harbor at a glance
| Population | 12,643 |
| Land area | 5.9 sq mi |
| Density | 2,142 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98332) | $135,330 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98332) | $743,691 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 7.0 a year in 2016–19, 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Gig Harbor
How common are truck crashes in Gig Harbor?
Since 2015, 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Pierce County (514 injured, 87 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Gig Harbor?
NHTSA data shows SR-16 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Gig Harbor since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Gig Harbor?
Truck crashes in Pierce County peak in January, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Gig Harbor?
Since 2015, Pierce County has reported 44 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Gig Harbor compared with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Pierce County has 25.4 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Gig Harbor?
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.