ZIP 72903 (Fort Smith, AR) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 72903: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Sebastian 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
19 of 629 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Sebastian County compares with Arkansas
Sebastian County against Arkansas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sebastian County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sebastian County | Arkansas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 41.6 | 92.4 | 49.7 | 55% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 49% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.3% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 60% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.9% | 22.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 15.4% | 13.8% | 43% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.0% | 40.9% | 41.9% | 12% below the state |
| After dark | 14.4% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 36% below the state |
Sebastian County sits below Arkansas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
Sebastian County at a glance: 1 in 33 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.0%, against 1.6% for Arkansas.
Overview
Police reported 629 crashes involving commercial trucks in Sebastian County since 2015: 257 people were injured and 13 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 11.9% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (5.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.0% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across Arkansas.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 10.2% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Arkansas: 3.3%).
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 72903 with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-64 (4), I-540 (2) and SR-255 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 19 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 1.6% in Arkansas.
Route planning tips for ZIP 72903 fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Sebastian County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 5 |
| US-64 | 4 |
| I-540 | 2 |
| SR-255 | 2 |
| SR-59 | 2 |
| US-71 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sebastian County) |
|---|---|
| US-71 | 67 |
| Sh22 | 29 |
| I-540E | 27 |
| US-71S | 25 |
| I-540W | 23 |
| Cst(Phoenix Avenue) | 22 |
| Sh255 | 22 |
| I-540 | 21 |
ZIP 72903 at a glance
| Population | 27,242 |
| Density | 649 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $61,434 |
| Median home value | $236,743 |
| Home ownership | 53% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sebastian 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 | 30 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 47 | +57% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 49 | +4% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 61 | +25% | 1.2 |
In the 1990s about 30 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 61. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 72903
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 72903?
629 truck crashes have been reported in Sebastian County since 2015, with 13 deaths and 257 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 72903?
I-40 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 72903 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 72903?
The worst month is August: 11.9% of truck crashes in Sebastian County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 72903?
19 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Sebastian County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 72903 compared with Arkansas?
The yearly rate is 41.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Sebastian County, vs 92.4 for Arkansas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 72903?
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.