ZIP 99161 (Palouse, WA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 99161: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Whitman 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 of 209 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Whitman County compares with Washington
Whitman County against Washington and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Whitman County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Whitman County | Washington | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.2 | 25.8 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 8% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.2% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 24.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.1% | 20.2% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 43.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.2% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 36% below the state |
Compared with Washington, Whitman County is lower on garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It runs above Washington on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Whitman County: 17.2% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Washington: 9.7%).
Overview
Since 2015, 209 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Whitman County. They injured 38 people and killed 11.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 20 days.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 14.8% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (4.8%).
November through March accounts for 44.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.8% in Washington.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 10.5% of truck crashes.
17.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.7% across Washington.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of ZIP 99161.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 1.9%, compared with 2.2% in Washington.
Route planning tips for ZIP 99161 fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 17.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Washington; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Whitman County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Whitman County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-128*001.00 | 3 |
| Sr-195*000.50 | 3 |
| Farmington Rd/Sr-27 | 2 |
| Sr-128*000.50 | 2 |
| Sr-194*003.00 | 2 |
| Sr-195*002.00 | 2 |
| Sr-195*018.00 | 2 |
| Sr-195*036.50 | 2 |
ZIP 99161 at a glance
| Population | 1,435 |
| Density | 7 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $87,464 |
| Median home value | $318,700 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Whitman 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 | 7 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 14 | +93% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 17 | +21% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 16 | -4% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 7 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 16. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 99161
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 99161?
Since 2015, 209 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Whitman County (38 injured, 11 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 99161?
Truck crashes in Whitman County peak in August, with 14.8% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 99161?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Whitman County since 2015, 1.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 99161 compare with Washington?
Per 100,000 residents, Whitman County has 37.2 truck crashes a year; Washington has 25.8.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 99161?
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.