Cowen, WV truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cowen: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cowen and Webster County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Webster County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 26 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Webster County compares with West Virginia
Webster County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Webster County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Webster County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 27.5 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 52% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.0× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 16% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.5% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.2% | 20.9% | 23.7% | 1.4× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.8% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.0% | 41.7% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 0.0% | 26.6% | 24.8% | 100% below the state |
Compared with West Virginia, Webster County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
Webster County at a glance: March worst month: 19.2% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Police reported 26 crashes involving commercial trucks in Webster County since 2015: 10 people were injured and 2 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 167 days in fully reported years.
Only 3 truck crashes were reported in Cowen since 2015; patterns below come from Webster County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (19.2% of the year) and are lowest in April (3.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 50.0% of truck crashes, vs 41.7% for West Virginia.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 11.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 12.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (West Virginia: 8.1%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cowen since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-20 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for Webster County.
Route planning tips for Cowen fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 29.2% of truck crashes here, more than West Virginia; adjust start times where you can.
- 12.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above West Virginia; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Webster County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-20 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Webster County) |
|---|---|
| SR-15 | 3 |
| SR-20 | 3 |
| Wv Rt 20 | 3 |
| County Rt 20 Webster Rd | 1 |
| Grassy Creek Rd | 1 |
| Riverside Plaza Lot | 1 |
| Rt 15 - Diana Drive | 1 |
| Rt 15 - Elk River Road | 1 |
Cowen at a glance
| Population | 466 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 741 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Webster 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 | 1 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 6 | +770% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 2 | -59% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 2 | -38% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 1990s and 2 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cowen
How many truck accidents are there in Cowen?
Webster County has had 26 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 10 people and killing 2.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cowen?
March has the most truck crashes in Webster County, 19.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Cowen?
Since 2015, Webster County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Cowen compare with West Virginia for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Webster County has 27.5 truck crashes a year; West Virginia has 57.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cowen?
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.