Custer, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Custer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Custer 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 |
Compared with Washington, Whatcom County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Custer: SR-543 2 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Custer.
Overview
Whatcom County has recorded 550 truck crashes since 2015, with 73 people injured and 16 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
Custer had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Whatcom County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (10.2% of the year) and are lowest in February (4.5%).
November through March accounts for 39.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
SR-543 leads within 10 miles of Custer with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by CR-HANNEGAN Rd (1), CR-SLATER Rd (1) and SR-548 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Custer fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-543, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Whatcom County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-543 | 2 |
| CR-HANNEGAN Rd | 1 |
| CR-SLATER Rd | 1 |
| 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 |
Custer at a glance
| Land area | 2.2 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98240) | $110,116 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98240) | $620,053 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 27 to 48. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Custer
How common are truck crashes in Custer?
Since 2015, 550 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Whatcom County (73 injured, 16 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Custer?
SR-543 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Custer since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Custer?
January has the most truck crashes in Whatcom County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Custer?
Since 2015, Whatcom County has reported 13 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.4% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Custer compare with Washington?
Whatcom County records 20.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Custer?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.