ZIP 98501 (Olympia, WA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 98501: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Thurston 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 898 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Thurston County compares with Washington
Thurston County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Thurston County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Thurston County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.0 | 25.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.14 | 0.18 | 0.49 | 22% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.5% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 64% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 24.8% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 27.5% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.4% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.1% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Thurston County has lower values than Washington for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
What stands out in ZIP 98501: I-5 deadliest road: 9 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 98501 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 898 crashes involving commercial trucks in Thurston County since 2015: 138 people were injured and 25 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.4% of truck crashes, against 43.8% across Washington.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 7.2% of truck crashes.
3.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 98501 is I-5, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-93RD Ave Se (1), CR-OLD Highway 99 (1) and CR-RAINER Rd Se (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for ZIP 98501 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Thurston County.
- 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
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 Thurston County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 9 |
| CR-93RD Ave Se | 1 |
| CR-OLD Highway 99 | 1 |
| CR-RAINER Rd Se | 1 |
| Martin Way E | 1 |
| Mu-Willamette Dr Ne | 1 |
| SR-507 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Thurston County) |
|---|---|
| Mullen Rd Se Blk 8100 | 11 |
| I-5 Mp 104.40 | 5 |
| Sr-101*367.00 | 5 |
| Mullen Rd Blk 8100 | 4 |
| Sr-101*362.00 | 4 |
| Sr-12*046.00 | 4 |
| Sr-121*007.00 | 4 |
| Martin Way E Blk 4700 | 3 |
ZIP 98501 at a glance
| Population | 48,067 |
| Density | 532 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $97,198 |
| Median home value | $528,534 |
| Home ownership | 62% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Thurston 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 | 35 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 56 | +58% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 64 | +15% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 79 | +24% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 35 to 79. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 98501
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 98501?
Thurston County has had 898 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 138 people and killing 25.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 98501?
I-5 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 98501 since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 98501?
October has the most truck crashes in Thurston County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 98501?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Thurston County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 98501 compare with Washington?
The yearly rate is 25.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Thurston County, vs 25.8 for Washington.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 98501?
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.