Zillah, WA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Zillah: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Zillah 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. It runs above Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Zillah: US-97 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Zillah: 6 since 2015.
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.
Zillah had 48 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Yakima County numbers.
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.
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 Zillah with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-22 (3), CR-S Wapato Rd (2) and I-82 (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 Zillah fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Yakima County.
- Look at alternatives to US-97 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 12.8% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Washington), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 | 6 |
| SR-22 | 3 |
| CR-S Wapato Rd | 2 |
| I-82 | 2 |
| SR-223 | 2 |
| CR-BRANCH Rd | 1 |
| CR-KONNOWAC Pass Rd | 1 |
| CR-LATERAL A Rd | 1 |
| CR-VAN Belle 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 |
Zillah at a glance
| Population | 3,123 |
| Land area | 1.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,715 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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 42 a year in the 1990s and 92 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 5.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 6.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Zillah
How many truck crashes happen in Zillah?
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 Zillah?
NHTSA data shows US-97 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Zillah since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Zillah?
Truck crashes in Yakima County peak in September, with 11.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Zillah?
Since 2015, Yakima County has reported 16 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Zillah compare with Washington?
Yakima County records 36.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Zillah?
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.