Despard, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Despard: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Despard and Harrison County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Harrison County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 416 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Harrison County compares with West Virginia
Harrison County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Harrison County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Harrison County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 58.5 | 57.6 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.0 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.63 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.6% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.2% | 20.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.5% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.6% | 41.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.0% | 26.6% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Harrison County has lower values than West Virginia for after dark. It runs above West Virginia on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Harrison County: 1 in 54 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.9%, against 1.1% for West Virginia.
Overview
Since 2015, 416 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Harrison County. They injured 249 people and killed 19.
That averages about one truck crash every 10 days in fully reported years.
Despard had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Harrison County numbers.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 10.3% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (5.3%).
November through March accounts for 41.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.7% in West Virginia.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 9.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (West Virginia: 8.1%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Despard since 2015 were spread across roads: I-79 (2), SR-20 (1) and US-50 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 1.7% of the total, against 1.1% across West Virginia.
Route planning tips for Despard fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 9.6% of truck crashes here, more than West Virginia; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2020; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Harrison County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-79 | 2 |
| SR-20 | 1 |
| US-50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Harrison County) |
|---|---|
| I-79 | 29 |
| SR-50 | 13 |
| I-79 Mp 109 | 12 |
| I-79 Mp 108 | 8 |
| I-79 - Mp 109 | 7 |
| I-79 - Mp 118 | 5 |
| I-79 Mp 107 | 5 |
| I-79 Mp 124 | 5 |
Despard at a glance
| Land area | 1.5 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Harrison 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 | — | 1.8 |
| 2000s | 36 | +398% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 42 | +17% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 34 | -18% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 7 to 34. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Despard
How many truck accidents are there in Despard?
Since 2015, 416 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Harrison County (249 injured, 19 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Despard?
Truck crashes in Harrison County peak in June, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Despard?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Harrison County since 2015 (1.7% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Despard compared with West Virginia?
The yearly rate is 58.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Harrison County, vs 57.6 for West Virginia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Despard?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2020; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.