Blaine, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Blaine: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Blaine and Whatcom County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Whatcom County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 550 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Whatcom County compares with Washington
Whatcom County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Whatcom County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Whatcom County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 20.0 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 22% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.13 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 28% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.1% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 17% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.3% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 18% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.2% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.1% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 24.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Whatcom County has lower values than Washington for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Washington on in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Whatcom County: January 10.2% of truck crashes happen in January, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 550 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Whatcom County. They injured 73 people and killed 16.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
With 36 truck crashes reported in Blaine since 2015, this page uses Whatcom County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 4.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.1% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Blaine since 2015: SR-543 (2) and SR-548 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 2.4%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for Blaine fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 Whatcom County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-543 | 2 |
| SR-548 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Whatcom County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-539*003.50 | 3 |
| Sr-539*008.57 | 3 |
| Sr-546*003.00 | 3 |
| Sr-9*086.00 | 3 |
| E Sunset Dr Blk 1800 | 2 |
| Everson Goshen Rd Blk 6200 | 2 |
| Everson Goshen Rd/E Smith Rd | 2 |
| Everson Goshen Road/Central Road | 2 |
Blaine at a glance
| Population | 6,371 |
| Land area | 5.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,141 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Whatcom 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 | 27 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 40 | +44% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 44 | +11% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 48 | +8% | 1.4 |
In the 1990s about 27 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 48. 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 Blaine
How many truck crashes happen in Blaine?
Whatcom County has had 550 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 73 people and killing 16.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Blaine?
The worst month is January: 10.2% of truck crashes in Whatcom County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Blaine?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Whatcom County since 2015 (2.4% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Blaine compared with Washington?
The yearly rate is 20.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Whatcom County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Blaine?
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.