Bellingham, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bellingham: 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
7 of 299 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Bellingham compares with Washington
Bellingham against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bellingham stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Bellingham | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 26.3 | 25.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 26% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.12 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 33% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.3% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 15% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.8% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 24% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.2% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 24.2% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Bellingham sits below Washington on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Bellingham: I-5 2 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Bellingham.
Overview
Bellingham has recorded 299 truck crashes since 2015, with 38 people injured and 7 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 14 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in September (10.0% of the year) and are lowest in February (4.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.1% of truck crashes, vs 43.8% for Washington.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
I-5 leads within 10 miles of Bellingham with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: CR-EVERSON Goshen Rd (1), CR-HANNEGAN Rd (1) and CR-SLATER Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 2.3% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Route planning tips for Bellingham fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Bellingham.
- 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
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Bellingham
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 2 |
| CR-EVERSON Goshen Rd | 1 |
| CR-HANNEGAN Rd | 1 |
| CR-SLATER Rd | 1 |
| SR-542 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bellingham) |
|---|---|
| Sr-539*003.50 | 3 |
| W Bakerview Rd Blk 1300 | 2 |
| Sr-9*075.00 | 2 |
| Sr-9*077.00 | 2 |
| Meridian St | 2 |
| Everson Goshen Rd/E Smith Rd | 2 |
| E Sunset Dr Blk 1800 | 2 |
| Aldrich Rd Blk 5000 | 1 |
Bellingham at a glance
| Population | 95,860 |
| Land area | 28.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,400 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bellingham 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 | 20 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 21 | +4% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 25 | +17% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 23 | -7% | 1.4 |
In the 1990s about 20 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 23. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bellingham
How common are truck crashes in Bellingham?
Since 2015, 299 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Bellingham (38 injured, 7 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Bellingham?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Bellingham: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Bellingham?
September has the most truck crashes in Bellingham, 10.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Bellingham?
Since 2015, Bellingham has reported 7 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Bellingham compared with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Bellingham has 26.3 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Bellingham?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.