ZIP 98443 (Tacoma, WA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 98443: 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 sits below Washington on garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in ZIP 98443: I-5 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98443: 18 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks in Pierce County since 2015: 514 people were injured and 87 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.0% of truck crashes, vs 43.8% for Washington.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (6.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.0% of truck crashes, compared with 9.7% in Washington.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-5 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (18). It is followed by SR-167 (9), SR-99 (6) and SR-7 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 44 crashes, 1.6% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
Their busiest month is June, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.9 deaths compared with 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 98443 fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Pierce County.
- 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 | 18 |
| SR-167 | 9 |
| SR-99 | 6 |
| SR-7 | 3 |
| 70th Ave E | 2 |
| SR-161 | 2 |
| SR-509 | 2 |
| SR-512 | 2 |
| 4th St Se | 1 |
| CR-112TH 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 98443 at a glance
| Population | 5,558 |
| Density | 396 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $105,035 |
| Median home value | $521,205 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
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 98443
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 98443?
2,807 truck crashes have been reported in Pierce County since 2015, with 87 deaths and 514 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 98443?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98443: 18.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 98443?
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 98443?
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 98443 compared with Washington?
Pierce County records 25.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 25.8 across Washington.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 98443?
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.