South Charleston, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Charleston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South Charleston and Kanawha County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kanawha County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10 of 1,632 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Kanawha County compares with West Virginia
Kanawha County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kanawha County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kanawha County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 81.1 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 39% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.45 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.6% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 42% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.5% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.3% | 20.9% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 38.0% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 41.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.2% | 26.6% | 24.8% | same |
Kanawha County has lower values than West Virginia for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Kanawha County: 38.0% share of truck crashes in rain, sleet or snow (West Virginia: 24.8%).
Overview
Police reported 1,632 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kanawha County since 2015: 698 people were injured and 43 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Only 118 truck crashes were reported in South Charleston since 2015; patterns below come from Kanawha County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 9.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.1% of truck crashes, against 41.7% across West Virginia.
By time of day, 4–5 pm stands out with 7.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.5% of truck crashes, compared with 8.1% in West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of South Charleston since 2015: I-77 (3), US-60 (3), I-64 (2), SR-25 (2) and I-79 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
10 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.6% share (West Virginia: 1.1%).
Route planning tips for South Charleston fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kanawha County.
- 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 Kanawha County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-77 | 3 |
| US-60 | 3 |
| I-64 | 2 |
| SR-25 | 2 |
| I-79 | 1 |
| Rebecca St | 1 |
| SR-622 | 1 |
| SR-94 | 1 |
| US-119 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kanawha County) |
|---|---|
| I-77 | 55 |
| I-77 Mp 83 | 46 |
| I-64 | 29 |
| I-77 - Mp 95 | 29 |
| I-77 Mp 95 | 29 |
| I-77 Mp 96 | 25 |
| I-77 - Mp 74 | 23 |
| I-77 - Mp 75 | 22 |
South Charleston at a glance
| Population | 13,177 |
| Land area | 9.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,350 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 25303) | $75,872 |
| Median home value (ZIP 25303) | $175,349 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kanawha 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 | 19 | — | 4.4 |
| 2000s | 98 | +421% | 3.5 |
| 2010s | 148 | +51% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 125 | -16% | 2.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 19 a year in the 1990s and 125 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.5 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South Charleston
How many truck accidents are there in South Charleston?
Since 2015, 1,632 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Kanawha County (698 injured, 43 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in South Charleston?
The worst month is July: 9.4% of truck crashes in Kanawha County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in South Charleston?
Garbage trucks were involved in 10 reported crashes in Kanawha County since 2015 (0.6% of truck crashes).
How does South Charleston compare with West Virginia for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Kanawha County has 81.1 truck crashes a year; West Virginia has 57.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in South Charleston?
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.