ZIP 98446 (Tacoma, WA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 98446: 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.
The headline for ZIP 98446: I-5 15 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 98446.
Overview
Police reported 2,807 crashes involving commercial trucks in Pierce County since 2015: 514 people were injured and 87 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in April (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
I-5 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 98446 with 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-99 (6), SR-167 (4) and SR-7 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 44 crashes, 1.6% of the total, against 2.2% across Washington.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in June (14%).
They recorded 4.9 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 98446 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.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in June; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Pierce County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 15 |
| SR-99 | 6 |
| SR-167 | 4 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| SR-161 | 3 |
| 70th Ave E | 2 |
| CR-ORTING Kapowsin Hwy | 2 |
| SR-509 | 2 |
| SR-512 | 2 |
| 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 98446 at a glance
| Population | 14,634 |
| Density | 519 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $101,938 |
| Median home value | $487,349 |
| Home ownership | 67% |
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 98446
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 98446?
Pierce County has had 2,807 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 514 people and killing 87.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 98446?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98446: 15.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 98446?
Truck crashes in Pierce County peak in January, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 98446?
Since 2015, Pierce County has reported 44 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 98446 compare 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 98446?
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.