ZIP 66539 (Silver Lake, KS) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 66539: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Shawnee 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Shawnee County compares with Kansas
Shawnee County against Kansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Shawnee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Shawnee County | Kansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.7 | 61.4 | 49.7 | 43% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 33% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.5% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.0% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.7% | 23.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.9% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.8% | 42.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.1% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 18% below the state |
Shawnee County has lower values than Kansas for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Shawnee County: 1 in 28 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.5%, vs 2.1% in Kansas.
Overview
Shawnee County has recorded 695 truck crashes since 2015, with 208 people injured and 22 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (5.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.8% of truck crashes, vs 42.2% for Kansas.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.4% of truck crashes.
10.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.3% across Kansas.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-70 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). It is followed by US-75 (2) and US-24 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 24 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 2.1% across Kansas.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in March (17% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 66539 fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Shawnee County.
- Check whether your routes use I-70, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Shawnee County.
- With 10.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Kansas), 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 Shawnee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 4 |
| US-75 | 2 |
| US-24 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Shawnee County) |
|---|---|
| I-070 | 189 |
| I-470 | 48 |
| Topeka | 37 |
| I-335 | 27 |
| I-70 | 14 |
| I070Kta | 14 |
| 17Th | 9 |
| 29Th | 8 |
ZIP 66539 at a glance
| Population | 3,092 |
| Density | 29 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $87,554 |
| Median home value | $229,504 |
| Home ownership | 84% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Shawnee 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 | 65 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 61 | -6% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 59 | -3% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 67 | +13% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 65 a year in the 1990s and 67 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 66539
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 66539?
695 truck crashes have been reported in Shawnee County since 2015, with 22 deaths and 208 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 66539?
Since 2015, I-70 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 66539: 4.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 66539?
The worst month is January: 9.9% of truck crashes in Shawnee County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 66539?
Garbage trucks were involved in 24 reported crashes in Shawnee County since 2015 (3.5% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 66539 compare with Kansas for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Shawnee County has 34.7 truck crashes a year; Kansas has 61.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 66539?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.