Milton, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Milton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Milton 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 sits below Washington on garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Milton at a glance: I-5 15 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Milton.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Pierce County. They injured 514 people and killed 87.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Milton had 54 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.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, 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
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Milton is I-5, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-167 (11), SR-99 (7) and 70th Ave E (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 44 of the truck crashes here, or 1.6%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Their busiest month is June, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.9 deaths compared with 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Milton fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in June; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Pierce County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 15 |
| SR-167 | 11 |
| SR-99 | 7 |
| 70th Ave E | 2 |
| SR-161 | 2 |
| SR-509 | 2 |
| SR-512 | 2 |
| SR-516 | 2 |
| 4th St Se | 1 |
| B St Nw | 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 |
Milton at a glance
| Population | 8,833 |
| Land area | 2.8 sq mi |
| Density | 3,175 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98354) | $96,866 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98354) | $536,587 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Milton
How many truck crashes happen in Milton?
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 Milton?
NHTSA data shows I-5 with 15 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Milton since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Milton?
January has the most truck crashes in Pierce County, 9.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Milton?
Since 2015, Pierce County has reported 44 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Milton compared with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Pierce County has 25.4 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Milton?
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.