ZIP 24831 (Elkhorn, WV) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 24831: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in McDowell County, 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
0 of 72 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How McDowell County compares with West Virginia
McDowell County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McDowell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McDowell County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.1 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 37% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.9 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.45 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.9% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 63% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.1% | 20.9% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.1% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.6% | 41.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 17.6% | 26.6% | 24.8% | 34% below the state |
McDowell County sits below West Virginia on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for McDowell County: 0 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.0%, against 1.1% for West Virginia.
Overview
Police reported 72 crashes involving commercial trucks in McDowell County since 2015: 31 people were injured and 4 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 59 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 11.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 2.8%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.6% of truck crashes, vs 41.7% for West Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 4–5 pm than at any other hour (12.5%).
2.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 8.1% across West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 24831 happened on US-52 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for McDowell County.
Route planning tips for ZIP 24831 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 McDowell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-52 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McDowell County) |
|---|---|
| SR-52 | 8 |
| SR-16 | 5 |
| Us Rt 052 | 4 |
| Wv Rt 16 | 3 |
| County Rt 13/00 | 2 |
| SR-103 | 2 |
| SR-161 | 2 |
| SR-80 | 2 |
ZIP 24831 at a glance
| Population | 393 |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $57,652 |
| Home ownership | 100% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McDowell 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 | 0 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 13 | +2480% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 8 | -36% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 6 | -28% | 0.4 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 13 to 6. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 24831
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 24831?
McDowell County has had 72 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 31 people and killing 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 24831?
The worst month is January: 11.1% of truck crashes in McDowell County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 24831?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in McDowell County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 24831 compared with West Virginia?
Per 100,000 residents, McDowell County has 36.1 truck crashes a year; West Virginia has 57.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 24831?
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.