ZIP 98394 (Vaughn, WA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 98394: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Pierce 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
4.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Pierce County compares with Washington
Pierce County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pierce County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pierce County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.4 | 25.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 29% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.0% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 79% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.5% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.5% | 20.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.0% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Pierce County has lower values than Washington for garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Pierce County: 2.0% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Overview
Since 2015, 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Pierce County. They injured 514 people and killed 87.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.8%).
November through March accounts for 44.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 6.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 98394 happened on CR-118TH Ave Nw (1), CR-E North Island Dr (1), CR-E Pickering Rd (1), CR-KEY Peninsula Hwy Nw (1) and CR-NE Belfair Tahuya Rd (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
44 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.6% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Their busiest month is June, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.9, vs 3.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 98394 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at June schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Pierce County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-118TH Ave Nw | 1 |
| CR-E North Island Dr | 1 |
| CR-E Pickering Rd | 1 |
| CR-KEY Peninsula Hwy Nw | 1 |
| CR-NE Belfair Tahuya Rd | 1 |
| SR-16 | 1 |
| SR-3 | 1 |
| SR-300 | 1 |
| SR-302 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pierce County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-512*001.00 | 30 |
| Sr-167*006.00 | 19 |
| Sr-167*010.00 | 17 |
| Sr-167*007.00 | 16 |
| Sr-509*002.00 | 15 |
| Sr-167*008.00 | 14 |
| Sr-167*009.00 | 13 |
| Sr-16*001.00 | 13 |
ZIP 98394 at a glance
| Population | 892 |
| Density | 63 per sq mi |
| Home ownership | 85% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pierce 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 | 100 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 147 | +47% | 5.4 |
| 2010s | 200 | +36% | 4.5 |
| 2020s | 246 | +23% | 8.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 100 to 246. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 7.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 98394
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 98394?
Pierce County has had 2,807 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 514 people and killing 87.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 98394?
The worst month is January: 9.2% of truck crashes in Pierce County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 98394?
Garbage trucks were involved in 44 reported crashes in Pierce County since 2015 (1.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 98394 compared with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Pierce County has 25.4 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 98394?
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.