ZIP 26178 (Smithville, WV) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 26178: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Ritchie 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
1 of 101 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Ritchie County compares with West Virginia
Ritchie County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ritchie County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ritchie County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 109.0 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 1.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.1 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 7% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.1% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 11% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.4% | 20.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.4% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 26% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 41.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 27.6% | 26.6% | 24.8% | same |
Ritchie County has lower values than West Virginia for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and winter months (nov–mar).
What stands out in Ritchie County: April 14.9% of truck crashes happen in April, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 101 crashes involving commercial trucks in Ritchie County since 2015: 36 people were injured and 7 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 41 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in April (14.9% of the year) and are lowest in May (3.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.9% of truck crashes, vs 41.7% for West Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (14.9%).
7.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 8.1% across West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of ZIP 26178 since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.0% share (West Virginia: 1.1%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 26178 fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Ritchie County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Ritchie County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ritchie County) |
|---|---|
| SR-50 | 11 |
| Us Rt 50 | 7 |
| SR-16 | 5 |
| SR-74 | 5 |
| Wv Rt 074 | 3 |
| County Rt 9 | 2 |
| Rt 34 - Approx. 1 Mile From Us Rt 50 | 2 |
| Rt 50 - Bonds Creek Bridge | 2 |
ZIP 26178 at a glance
| Population | 184 |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $35,139 |
| Home ownership | 42% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ritchie 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 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 4 | +230% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 9 | +107% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 6 | -38% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 1990s and 6 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 26178
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 26178?
Since 2015, 101 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Ritchie County (36 injured, 7 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 26178?
Truck crashes in Ritchie County peak in April, with 14.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 26178?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Ritchie County since 2015 (1.0% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 26178 compared with West Virginia?
Ritchie County records 109.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.6 across West Virginia.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 26178?
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.