Buffalo, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Buffalo: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Buffalo and Putnam County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Putnam County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 569 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Putnam County compares with West Virginia
Putnam County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Putnam County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Putnam County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 86.3 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 20% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.45 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.8% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 15% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.4% | 20.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.3% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 41.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.6% | 26.6% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Putnam County sits below West Virginia on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Buffalo: US-35 deadliest road: 7 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Buffalo since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 569 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Putnam County. They injured 249 people and killed 18.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
Buffalo had 25 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Putnam County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 12.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.9% of truck crashes, against 41.7% across West Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (6.7%).
6.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 8.1% across West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Buffalo is US-35, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-3 (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 Buffalo fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-35 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 23.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than West Virginia.
- 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 Putnam County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-35 | 7 |
| SR-3 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Putnam County) |
|---|---|
| SR-35 | 40 |
| Us Rt 35 | 36 |
| I-64 Mp 45 | 26 |
| I-64 | 19 |
| Wv Rt 34 | 14 |
| I-64 - Mp 45 | 12 |
| Rt 35 - Plantation Road | 10 |
| Us Rt 035 | 9 |
Buffalo at a glance
| Population | 1,200 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,018 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 25082) | $53,582 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Putnam 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 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 50 | +1212% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 44 | -13% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 49 | +12% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 49 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 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Buffalo
How many truck crashes happen in Buffalo?
Since 2015, 569 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Putnam County (249 injured, 18 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Buffalo?
US-35 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Buffalo since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Buffalo?
October has the most truck crashes in Putnam County, 12.0% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Buffalo?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Putnam County since 2015 (1.2% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Buffalo compared with West Virginia?
The yearly rate is 86.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Putnam County, vs 57.6 for West Virginia.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Buffalo?
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.