ZIP 98402 (Tacoma, WA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 98402: 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 |
Compared with Washington, Pierce County is lower on garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in ZIP 98402: I-5 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98402: 19 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Pierce County. They injured 514 people and killed 87.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.8%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.0% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 6.9% of truck crashes.
2.0% 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 (19). After it: SR-167 (9), SR-99 (6) and 70th Ave E (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
44 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.6% share (Washington: 2.2%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in June (14% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.9 deaths compared with 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 98402 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-5, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Pierce County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Pierce County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 19 |
| SR-167 | 9 |
| SR-99 | 6 |
| 70th Ave E | 2 |
| SR-509 | 2 |
| SR-512 | 2 |
| SR-7 | 2 |
| CR-112TH St S | 1 |
| CR-116TH St S | 1 |
| CR-A St S | 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 98402 at a glance
| Population | 8,080 |
| Density | 2,644 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $60,505 |
| Median home value | $545,992 |
| Home ownership | 18% |
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 |
In the 1990s about 100 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 246. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 7.0 a year in 2016–19 and 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 98402
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 98402?
Pierce County has had 2,807 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 514 people and killing 87.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 98402?
NHTSA data shows I-5 with 19 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98402 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 98402?
Truck crashes in Pierce County peak in January, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 98402?
44 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Pierce County since 2015, 1.6% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 98402 compared with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Pierce County has 25.4 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 98402?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.