ZIP 71222 (Bernice, LA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 71222: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Union Parish, 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
8 of 242 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Union Parish compares with Louisiana
Union Parish against Louisiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Union Parish stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Union Parish | Louisiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 108.6 | 81.5 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.83 | 0.77 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.9% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.0% | 23.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.6% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.6% | 40.3% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 20.5% | 23.9% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Union Parish sits below Louisiana on after dark. It runs above Louisiana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Union Parish at a glance: 1 in 28 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.6%, vs 2.2% in Louisiana.
Overview
Union Parish has recorded 242 truck crashes since 2015, with 204 people injured and 10 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 16 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.6% of the year) and are lowest in May (5.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.6% of truck crashes, vs 40.3% for Louisiana.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (9.1%).
0.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.8% across Louisiana.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 71222 since 2015 were spread across roads: US-167 (2) and US-63 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 2.2% in Louisiana.
Route planning tips for ZIP 71222 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- With 0.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Louisiana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2017 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Union Parish
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-167 | 2 |
| US-63 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Union Parish) |
|---|---|
| La-15 | 58 |
| La-2 | 38 |
| La-33 | 31 |
| US-167 | 19 |
| La-143 | 18 |
| La-549 | 16 |
| US-63 | 7 |
| La-558 | 6 |
ZIP 71222 at a glance
| Population | 2,871 |
| Density | 8 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $35,051 |
| Median home value | $83,544 |
| Home ownership | 80% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Union Parish 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 | 9 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 14 | +66% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 20 | +36% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 21 | +5% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 9 a year in the 1990s and 21 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 71222
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 71222?
Union Parish has had 242 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 204 people and killing 10.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 71222?
Truck crashes in Union Parish peak in January, with 11.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 71222?
8 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Union Parish since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 71222 compared with Louisiana?
The yearly rate is 108.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Union Parish, vs 81.5 for Louisiana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 71222?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2017; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.