Belva, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Belva: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Belva and Nicholas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Nicholas County numbers.
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.
What stands out in Nicholas County: 1 in 185 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 1.1% across West Virginia.
Overview
Nicholas County has recorded 196 truck crashes since 2015, with 97 people injured and 10 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 22 days.
Belva had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Nicholas County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 11.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 5.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.9% of truck crashes, against 41.7% across West Virginia.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 10.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (West Virginia: 8.1%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Belva happened on SR-39 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.0% of the total, against 1.1% across West Virginia.
Route planning tips for Belva fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- With 10.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above West Virginia), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Belva at a glance
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 26656) | $78,068 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 15. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Belva
How common are truck crashes in Belva?
196 truck crashes have been reported in Nicholas County since 2015, with 10 deaths and 97 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Belva?
The worst month is January: 11.2% of truck crashes in Nicholas County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Belva?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Nicholas County since 2015, 1.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Belva compare with West Virginia?
Per 100,000 residents, Nicholas County has 69.6 truck crashes a year; West Virginia has 57.6.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Belva?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.