Oakvale, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Oakvale: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Oakvale and Mercer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Mercer County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 570 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Mercer County compares with West Virginia
Mercer County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mercer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mercer County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 83.0 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 1.1% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.7% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 29% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 20.9% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.5% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 29% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.2% | 41.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.9% | 26.6% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Mercer County has lower values than West Virginia for on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above West Virginia on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Mercer County: 24.8% share of truck crashes in the morning rush (West Virginia: 20.9%).
Overview
Mercer County has recorded 570 truck crashes since 2015, with 286 people injured and 22 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 8 days.
With 9 truck crashes reported in Oakvale since 2015, this page uses Mercer County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 6.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.2% of truck crashes, against 41.7% across West Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 4–5 pm than at any other hour (7.2%).
5.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 8.1% across West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Oakvale since 2015 were spread across roads: US-460 (2) and I-77 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 1.2% of the total, against 1.1% across West Virginia.
Route planning tips for Oakvale fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 24.8% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above West Virginia; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Mercer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-460 | 2 |
| I-77 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mercer County) |
|---|---|
| I-77 | 33 |
| I-77 Mp 21 | 18 |
| I-77 Mp 7 | 15 |
| I-77 Mp 12 | 12 |
| I-77 Mp 16.50 | 10 |
| I-77 Mp 18 | 10 |
| I-77 Mp 23 | 10 |
| I-77 Mp 8 | 10 |
Oakvale at a glance
| Population | 130 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 311 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mercer 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 | 13 | — | 1.8 |
| 2000s | 41 | +212% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 42 | +1% | 1.8 |
| 2020s | 53 | +27% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 13 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 53. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Oakvale
How many truck accidents are there in Oakvale?
Mercer County has had 570 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 286 people and killing 22.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Oakvale?
The worst month is October: 10.2% of truck crashes in Mercer County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Oakvale?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Mercer County since 2015, 1.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Oakvale compared with West Virginia?
Per 100,000 residents, Mercer County has 83.0 truck crashes a year; West Virginia has 57.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Oakvale?
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.