ZIP 33859 (Lake Wales, FL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 33859: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Polk 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
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Florida
Polk County against Florida and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.4 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.51 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 25.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.9% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 42.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.4% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Florida, Polk County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Florida on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
The headline for ZIP 33859: US-27 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 33859: 15 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 3,056 people and killed 257.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.4% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (7.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.0% of truck crashes, against 42.1% across Florida.
The busiest hour is 6–7 am, with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.0% of truck crashes, compared with 0.1% in Florida.
Where crashes happen
US-27 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 33859 with 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-60 (11), Alturas Babson Park Rd (1) and CR-655 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 138 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 3.8% in Florida.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (13% of them).
They recorded 2.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 33859 fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-27 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in February; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 15 |
| SR-60 | 11 |
| Alturas Babson Park Rd | 1 |
| CR-655 | 1 |
| Lake Mabel Loop Rd | 1 |
| Logistics Parkway | 1 |
| St Helena Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| SR-60 | 431 |
| SR-27 | 354 |
| US-27 | 160 |
| US-98 | 158 |
| Sr25 (Highway 27) | 139 |
| US-92 | 128 |
| I-4 | 115 |
| SR-98 | 92 |
ZIP 33859 at a glance
| Population | 11,824 |
| Density | 100 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $57,760 |
| Median home value | $204,826 |
| Home ownership | 72% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 96 | — | 18.1 |
| 2000s | 258 | +167% | 19.4 |
| 2010s | 319 | +24% | 14.2 |
| 2020s | 539 | +69% | 21.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 96 to 539. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 18.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 21.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 33859
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 33859?
5,582 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 257 deaths and 3,056 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 33859?
US-27 had 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 33859 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 33859?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in March, with 10.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 33859?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 138 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 33859 compared with Florida?
The yearly rate is 56.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 37.4 for Florida.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 33859?
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.