Rochester, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rochester: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Rochester and Thurston County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Thurston County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 898 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Thurston County compares with Washington
Thurston County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Thurston County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Thurston County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.0 | 25.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.14 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 22% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.5% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 64% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 27.5% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.4% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.1% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Thurston County sits below Washington on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
Rochester at a glance: I-5 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Rochester.
Overview
Since 2015, 898 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Thurston County. They injured 138 people and killed 25.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 5 days.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Rochester since 2015, this page uses Thurston County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.4% of truck crashes, vs 43.8% for Washington.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 7.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Rochester is I-5, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-12 (2), CR-HARRISON Ave (1) and CR-OLD Hwy 99 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.4% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Rochester fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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 Thurston County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 5 |
| US-12 | 2 |
| CR-HARRISON Ave | 1 |
| CR-OLD Hwy 99 | 1 |
| CR-OLD Hwy 99 Sw | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Thurston County) |
|---|---|
| Mullen Rd Se Blk 8100 | 11 |
| I-5 Mp 104.40 | 5 |
| Sr-101*367.00 | 5 |
| Mullen Rd Blk 8100 | 4 |
| Sr-101*362.00 | 4 |
| Sr-12*046.00 | 4 |
| Sr-121*007.00 | 4 |
| Martin Way E Blk 4700 | 3 |
Rochester at a glance
| Land area | 8.5 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98579) | $99,411 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98579) | $462,367 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Thurston 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 | 35 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 56 | +58% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 64 | +15% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 79 | +24% | 1.6 |
In the 1990s about 35 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 79. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Rochester
How many truck crashes happen in Rochester?
898 truck crashes have been reported in Thurston County since 2015, with 25 deaths and 138 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Rochester?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Rochester: 5.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Rochester?
Truck crashes in Thurston County peak in October, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Rochester?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Thurston County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Rochester compared with Washington?
The yearly rate is 25.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Thurston County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Rochester?
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.