Lester, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lester: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lester and Raleigh County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Raleigh County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
11 of 869 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Raleigh County compares with West Virginia
Raleigh County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Raleigh County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Raleigh County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 102.6 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.45 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 1.1% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.6% | 8.1% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.0% | 20.9% | 23.7% | 14% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.3% | 24.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.5% | 41.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.4% | 26.6% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with West Virginia, Raleigh County is lower on morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above West Virginia on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Lester: I-77 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Lester since 2015.
Overview
Raleigh County has recorded 869 truck crashes since 2015, with 411 people injured and 33 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 5 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Lester since 2015, this page uses Raleigh County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 12.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.3%.
November through March accounts for 40.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.7% in West Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (8.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.6% of truck crashes, compared with 8.1% in West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-77 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). Next come SR-16 (2), SR-3 (2) and US-19 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 11 crashes, 1.3% of the total, against 1.1% across West Virginia.
Route planning tips for Lester fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-77; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Raleigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-77 | 5 |
| SR-16 | 2 |
| SR-3 | 2 |
| US-19 | 2 |
| SR-99 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Raleigh County) |
|---|---|
| I-77 Mp 48 | 31 |
| I-77 | 26 |
| I-77 Mp 30 | 24 |
| I-77 Mp 42 | 23 |
| I-77 Mp 44 | 20 |
| I-77 Mp 45 | 19 |
| I-64 | 19 |
| I-77 Mp 40 | 15 |
Lester at a glance
| Population | 333 |
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Density | 665 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Raleigh 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 | — | 2.3 |
| 2000s | 49 | +284% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 58 | +18% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 86 | +48% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 13 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 86. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lester
How many truck crashes happen in Lester?
Since 2015, 869 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Raleigh County (411 injured, 33 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lester?
Since 2015, I-77 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lester: 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lester?
Truck crashes in Raleigh County peak in August, with 12.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Lester?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Raleigh County since 2015 (1.3% of truck crashes).
How does Lester compare with West Virginia for truck crashes?
Raleigh County records 102.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.6 across West Virginia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Lester?
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.