Cowiche, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cowiche: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cowiche and Yakima County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Yakima County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 1,097 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Yakima County compares with Washington
Yakima County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Yakima County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Yakima County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.6 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 30% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.8% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.9% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 46% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.1% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.1% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Yakima County has lower values than Washington for garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Yakima County: 5.5 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.4 in Washington.
Overview
Yakima County has recorded 1,097 truck crashes since 2015, with 237 people injured and 60 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Cowiche since 2015; patterns below come from Yakima County as a whole.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 11.2% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.1% of truck crashes, vs 43.8% for Washington.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 12.8% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cowiche since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-SUMMITVIEW Rd (2), US-12 (2), CR-AHTANUM Rd (1), CR-ROSENKRANZ Rd (1) and SR-12 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 16 crashes, 1.5% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Route planning tips for Cowiche fleets
- Build extra time into September routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 12.8% of truck crashes here, more than Washington; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Yakima County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-SUMMITVIEW Rd | 2 |
| US-12 | 2 |
| CR-AHTANUM Rd | 1 |
| CR-ROSENKRANZ Rd | 1 |
| SR-12 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Yakima County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-24*005.00 | 5 |
| Sr-12*176.00 | 4 |
| Sr-12*202.00 | 4 |
| Sr-97*060.80 | 4 |
| Sr-97*076.00 | 4 |
| Dekker Rd/Knowles Rd | 3 |
| Rudkin Rd/E Valley Mall Blvd | 3 |
| Sr-12*154.00 | 3 |
Cowiche at a glance
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 98923) | $47,776 |
| Median home value (ZIP 98923) | $250,090 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Yakima 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 | 42 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 59 | +38% | 2.5 |
| 2010s | 84 | +44% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 92 | +9% | 6.2 |
In the 1990s about 42 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 92. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 5.8 a year in 2016–19 and 6.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cowiche
How many truck crashes happen in Cowiche?
Since 2015, 1,097 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Yakima County (237 injured, 60 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Cowiche?
The worst month is September: 11.2% of truck crashes in Yakima County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cowiche?
Since 2015, Yakima County has reported 16 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.5% of its truck crashes.
How does Cowiche compare with Washington for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 36.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Yakima County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cowiche?
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.