Medical Lake, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Medical Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Medical Lake and Spokane County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Spokane County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Spokane County compares with Washington
Spokane County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Spokane County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Spokane County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 18.1 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 30% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.17 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.7% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.8% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.0% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.9% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.0% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Spokane County sits below Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It runs above Washington on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Spokane County: 17.7% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,167 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Spokane County. They injured 200 people and killed 41.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
Medical Lake had 15 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Spokane County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (11.3% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.9% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 17.7% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Medical Lake is I-90, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-2 (3) and W Airport Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 34 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Their busiest month is January, with 18% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Medical Lake fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Spokane County.
- Check whether your routes use I-90, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: January is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Spokane County.
- 29.8% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Washington; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 17.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Washington; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Spokane County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 4 |
| US-2 | 3 |
| W Airport Dr | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Spokane County) |
|---|---|
| S Stevens St Blk 100 | 6 |
| Altamont/Main | 4 |
| Trent | 4 |
| E Broadway Ave/N Thierman Rd | 3 |
| I 90 Mp 270.00 | 3 |
| S Stevens Blk 100 | 3 |
| Sr-2*276.22 | 3 |
| Sr-290*005.81 | 3 |
Medical Lake at a glance
| Population | 5,003 |
| Land area | 3.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,484 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 99022) | $93,812 |
| Median home value (ZIP 99022) | $385,054 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Spokane 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 | 48 | — | 3.1 |
| 2000s | 66 | +39% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 83 | +24% | 2.5 |
| 2020s | 110 | +33% | 5.0 |
In the 1990s about 48 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 110. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 3.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Medical Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Medical Lake?
Spokane County has had 1,167 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 200 people and killing 41.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Medical Lake?
Since 2015, I-90 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Medical Lake: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Medical Lake?
December has the most truck crashes in Spokane County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Medical Lake?
34 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Spokane County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Medical Lake compare with Washington?
Spokane County records 18.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Medical Lake?
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.