ZIP 98229 (Bellingham, WA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 98229: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Whatcom 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
13 of 550 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Whatcom County compares with Washington
Whatcom County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Whatcom County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Whatcom County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 20.0 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 22% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.13 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 28% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.1% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 17% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.3% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 18% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.2% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.1% | 43.8% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 24.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Whatcom County sits below Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Washington on in rain, sleet or snow.
ZIP 98229 at a glance: I-5 deadliest road: 4 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98229 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 550 crashes involving commercial trucks in Whatcom County since 2015: 73 people were injured and 16 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 8 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (4.5%).
November through March accounts for 39.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.6%).
8.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-5 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). After it: SR-542 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 2.4%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for ZIP 98229 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Whatcom County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 4 |
| SR-542 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Whatcom County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-539*003.50 | 3 |
| Sr-539*008.57 | 3 |
| Sr-546*003.00 | 3 |
| Sr-9*086.00 | 3 |
| E Sunset Dr Blk 1800 | 2 |
| Everson Goshen Rd Blk 6200 | 2 |
| Everson Goshen Rd/E Smith Rd | 2 |
| Everson Goshen Road/Central Road | 2 |
ZIP 98229 at a glance
| Population | 33,298 |
| Density | 256 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $90,945 |
| Median home value | $631,024 |
| Home ownership | 70% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Whatcom 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 | 27 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 40 | +44% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 44 | +11% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 48 | +8% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 27 a year in the 1990s and 48 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 98229
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 98229?
Whatcom County has had 550 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 73 people and killing 16.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 98229?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98229: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 98229?
Truck crashes in Whatcom County peak in January, with 10.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 98229?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Whatcom County since 2015, 2.4% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 98229 compare with Washington for truck crashes?
Whatcom County records 20.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 98229?
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.