ZIP 71427 (Flatwoods, LA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 71427: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Rapides 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
4.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Rapides Parish compares with Louisiana
Rapides Parish against Louisiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rapides Parish stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 75.9 | 81.5 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.76 | 0.77 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.2% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.0% | 23.6% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.7% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 7% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 40.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.0% | 23.9% | 24.8% | 12% below the state |
Compared with Louisiana, Rapides Parish is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Rapides Parish: 1.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 0.8% in Louisiana.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,152 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Rapides Parish. They injured 848 people and killed 27.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (6.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.3% of truck crashes, against 40.3% across Louisiana.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
1.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.8% across Louisiana.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 71427 happened on I-49 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
24 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.1% share (Louisiana: 2.2%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in July (25% of them).
They recorded 4.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 71427 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.0% of truck crashes here, more than Louisiana; adjust start times where you can.
- With 1.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Louisiana), 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
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Rapides Parish
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-49 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rapides Parish) |
|---|---|
| I-49 | 252 |
| La-28 | 143 |
| US-71 | 139 |
| US-165 | 127 |
| US-167 | 60 |
| La-1 | 48 |
| La-112 | 28 |
| I-0 | 26 |
ZIP 71427 at a glance
| Population | 172 |
| Density | 4 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $48,750 |
| Median home value | $118,130 |
| Home ownership | 87% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rapides 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 | 31 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 69 | +121% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 97 | +40% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 94 | -3% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 31 a year in the 1990s and 94 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 71427
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 71427?
Since 2015, 1,152 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rapides Parish (848 injured, 27 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 71427?
March has the most truck crashes in Rapides Parish, 10.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 71427?
Since 2015, Rapides Parish has reported 24 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.1% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 71427 compared with Louisiana?
The yearly rate is 75.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rapides Parish, vs 81.5 for Louisiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 71427?
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.