Wapato, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wapato: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wapato 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.
What stands out in Wapato: US-97 7 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Wapato.
Overview
Yakima County has recorded 1,097 truck crashes since 2015, with 237 people injured and 60 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
With 66 truck crashes reported in Wapato since 2015, this page uses Yakima County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is September with 11.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.0%.
November through March accounts for 41.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
12.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
US-97 leads within 10 miles of Wapato with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: CR-LATERAL A Rd (3), SR-22 (3) and CR-HARRAH Rd (2).
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 Wapato fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-97; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| US-97 | 7 |
| CR-LATERAL A Rd | 3 |
| SR-22 | 3 |
| CR-HARRAH Rd | 2 |
| CR-S Wapato Rd | 2 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| CR-BRANCH Rd | 1 |
| CR-FORT Rd | 1 |
| CR-KONNOWAC Pass Rd | 1 |
| Cr- Progressive Rd | 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 |
Wapato at a glance
| Population | 4,492 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,886 per sq mi |
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 Wapato
How many truck crashes happen in Wapato?
Yakima County has had 1,097 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 237 people and killing 60.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Wapato?
Since 2015, US-97 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wapato: 7.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Wapato?
The worst month is September: 11.2% of truck crashes in Yakima County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Wapato?
16 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Yakima County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Wapato compared with Washington?
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 Wapato?
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.