Lakewood, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lakewood: 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
3 of 423 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lakewood compares with Washington
Lakewood against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lakewood stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lakewood | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.7 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 2.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.11 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 39% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 65% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.3% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 76% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.2% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 23% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.1% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.3% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.5% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Washington, Lakewood is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
Lakewood at a glance: 1 in 130 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.8%, against 2.2% for Washington.
Overview
Police reported 423 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lakewood since 2015: 48 people were injured and 13 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 10 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is April with 10.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 5.9%.
November through March accounts for 45.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-5 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (14). After it: SR-7 (4), SR-167 (2) and CR-112TH St S (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
3 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.7% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Lakewood fleets
- Review driver schedules for April, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-5; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lakewood
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 14 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| SR-167 | 2 |
| CR-112TH St S | 1 |
| CR-116TH St S | 1 |
| CR-38TH Ave E | 1 |
| CR-A St S | 1 |
| CR-CANYON Rd E | 1 |
| CR-CANYON Road E | 1 |
| CR-SPANAWAY Loop Rd S | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lakewood) |
|---|---|
| Sr-512*001.00 | 15 |
| Sr-512*000.40 | 4 |
| I-5 Mp 125.40 | 3 |
| Sr-512*003.00 | 2 |
| Sr-512*000.04 | 2 |
| Sr-512*000.10 | 2 |
| S Tacoma Way Blk 10200 | 2 |
| S Tacoma Way Blk 9700 | 2 |
Lakewood at a glance
| Population | 62,709 |
| Land area | 17.1 sq mi |
| Density | 3,676 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lakewood 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 | 3 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 14 | +352% | 5.4 |
| 2010s | 25 | +76% | 4.5 |
| 2020s | 40 | +58% | 8.0 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 40. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 7.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lakewood
How common are truck crashes in Lakewood?
423 truck crashes have been reported in Lakewood since 2015, with 13 deaths and 48 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lakewood?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lakewood: 14.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Lakewood?
The worst month is April: 10.4% of truck crashes in Lakewood happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Lakewood?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lakewood since 2015, 0.7% of all truck crashes.
How does Lakewood compare with Washington for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 56.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lakewood, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lakewood?
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.