ZIP 26205 (Craigsville, WV) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 26205: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Nicholas 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
2 of 196 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Nicholas County compares with West Virginia
Nicholas County against West Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Nicholas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Nicholas County | West Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 69.6 | 57.6 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.5% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 51% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.9% | 8.1% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.1% | 20.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.0% | 24.8% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.9% | 41.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.3% | 26.6% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with West Virginia, Nicholas County is lower on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Nicholas County: 1 in 185 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.5%, vs 1.1% in West Virginia.
Overview
Police reported 196 crashes involving commercial trucks in Nicholas County since 2015: 97 people were injured and 10 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 22 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.2% of the year) and are lowest in November (5.1%).
November through March accounts for 42.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.7% in West Virginia.
By time of day, 4–5 pm stands out with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.9% of truck crashes, compared with 8.1% in West Virginia.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 26205 is SR-20, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-38 (1) and SR-39 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.0%, compared with 1.1% in West Virginia.
Route planning tips for ZIP 26205 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-20; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 10.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above West Virginia), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Nicholas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-20 | 3 |
| SR-38 | 1 |
| SR-39 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Nicholas County) |
|---|---|
| Us Rt 019 | 19 |
| SR-19 | 16 |
| Us Rt 19 | 16 |
| SR-39 | 9 |
| Wv Rt 039 | 5 |
| SR-20 | 4 |
| Wv Rt 20 | 4 |
| County Rt 20 | 3 |
ZIP 26205 at a glance
| Population | 2,957 |
| Density | 50 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $37,378 |
| Median home value | $85,839 |
| Home ownership | 76% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Nicholas 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 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 18 | +364% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 20 | +12% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 15 | -25% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 15. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 26205
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 26205?
196 truck crashes have been reported in Nicholas County since 2015, with 10 deaths and 97 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 26205?
Since 2015, SR-20 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 26205: 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 26205?
Truck crashes in Nicholas County peak in January, with 11.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 26205?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Nicholas County since 2015, 1.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 26205 compare with West Virginia?
Nicholas County records 69.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.6 across West Virginia.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 26205?
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.