Ferndale, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ferndale: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ferndale 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. Where it is higher: in rain, sleet or snow.
Ferndale at a glance: I-5 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Ferndale: 2 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 550 crashes involving commercial trucks in Whatcom County since 2015: 73 people were injured and 16 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
Only 74 truck crashes were reported in Ferndale since 2015; patterns below come from Whatcom County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 4.5%.
November through March accounts for 39.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.6% of truck crashes.
8.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Ferndale is I-5, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-EVERSON Goshen Rd (1), CR-HANNEGAN Rd (1) and CR-SLATER Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Ferndale fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Whatcom County.
- Check whether your routes use I-5, 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) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 2 |
| CR-EVERSON Goshen Rd | 1 |
| 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 |
Ferndale at a glance
| Population | 16,706 |
| Land area | 7.2 sq mi |
| Density | 2,320 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98248) | $91,060 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98248) | $590,620 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ferndale
How many truck accidents are there in Ferndale?
550 truck crashes have been reported in Whatcom County since 2015, with 16 deaths and 73 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Ferndale?
I-5 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ferndale since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ferndale?
January has the most truck crashes in Whatcom County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ferndale?
Since 2015, Whatcom County has reported 13 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Ferndale compare with Washington for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 20.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Whatcom County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ferndale?
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.