Colfax, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Colfax: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Colfax and Whitman County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Whitman County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 209 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Whitman County compares with Washington
Whitman County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Whitman County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Whitman County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.2 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 8% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.2% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.1% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.2% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 36% below the state |
Whitman County has lower values than Washington for garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Whitman County: 17.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.7% in Washington.
Overview
Whitman County has recorded 209 truck crashes since 2015, with 38 people injured and 11 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 20 days.
Only 91 truck crashes were reported in Colfax since 2015; patterns below come from Whitman County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 14.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 4.8%.
November through March accounts for 44.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 10.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 17.2% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Colfax since 2015 were spread across roads: US-195 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 1.9% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Route planning tips for Colfax fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 17.2% of truck crashes here, more than Washington; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Whitman County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-195 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Whitman County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-128*001.00 | 3 |
| Sr-195*000.50 | 3 |
| Farmington Rd/Sr-27 | 2 |
| Sr-128*000.50 | 2 |
| Sr-194*003.00 | 2 |
| Sr-195*002.00 | 2 |
| Sr-195*018.00 | 2 |
| Sr-195*036.50 | 2 |
Colfax at a glance
| Population | 2,692 |
| Land area | 3.8 sq mi |
| Density | 712 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 99174) | $50,179 |
| Median home value (ZIP 99174) | $212,609 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Whitman 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 | 7 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 14 | +93% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 17 | +21% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 16 | -4% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 7 a year in the 1990s and 16 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Colfax
How many truck crashes happen in Colfax?
209 truck crashes have been reported in Whitman County since 2015, with 11 deaths and 38 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Colfax?
Truck crashes in Whitman County peak in August, with 14.8% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Colfax?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Whitman County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Colfax compare with Washington?
The yearly rate is 37.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Whitman County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Colfax?
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.