Nicholas County, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Nicholas County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 196 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Nicholas County compares with West Virginia
Nicholas County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Nicholas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Nicholas County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 69.6 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.5% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 51% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.9% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.1% | 20.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.0% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.9% | 41.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.3% | 26.6% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with West Virginia, Nicholas County is lower on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Nicholas County at a glance: 1 in 185 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.5%, vs 1.1% in West Virginia.
Overview
Police reported 196 crashes involving commercial trucks in Nicholas County since 2015: 97 people were injured and 10 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 22 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.2% of the year) and are lowest in November (5.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.9% of truck crashes, against 41.7% across West Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 4–5 pm than at any other hour (8.7%).
10.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 8.1% across West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
US-19 leads in Nicholas County with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-20 (2), SR-38 (1) and SR-39 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.0% share (West Virginia: 1.1%).
Route planning tips for Nicholas County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-19 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 10.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above West Virginia), plan winter equipment 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 Nicholas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Nicholas County) |
|---|---|
| US-19 | 3 |
| SR-20 | 2 |
| SR-38 | 1 |
| SR-39 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Nicholas County) |
|---|---|
| Us Rt 019 | 19 |
| SR-19 | 16 |
| Us Rt 19 | 16 |
| SR-39 | 9 |
| Wv Rt 039 | 5 |
| SR-20 | 4 |
| Wv Rt 20 | 4 |
| County Rt 20 | 3 |
Nicholas County at a glance
| Population | 24,017 |
| Land area | 646.8 sq mi |
| Density | 37 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $57,587 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Nicholas 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 | 4 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 18 | +364% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 20 | +12% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 15 | -25% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 15 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 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Nicholas County
ZIP codes in Nicholas County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Nicholas County
How many truck crashes happen in Nicholas County?
Since 2015, 196 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Nicholas County (97 injured, 10 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Nicholas County?
US-19 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Nicholas County since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Nicholas County?
The worst month is January: 11.2% of truck crashes in Nicholas County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Nicholas County?
Since 2015, Nicholas County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Nicholas County compare with West Virginia?
Nicholas County records 69.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.6 across West Virginia.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Nicholas County?
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.