Columbia, CT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Columbia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Columbia and Capitol Planning Region, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Capitol Planning Region numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Capitol Planning Region compares with Connecticut
Capitol Planning Region against Connecticut and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Capitol Planning Region stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Capitol Planning Region | Connecticut | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.1 | 40.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.39 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.3% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.0% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.6% | 24.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.8% | 14.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.1% | 41.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.6% | 28.0% | 24.8% | same |
Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Columbia at a glance: SR-32 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Columbia: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 4,545 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Capitol Planning Region. They injured 1,846 people and killed 118.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 14 truck crashes reported in Columbia since 2015, this page uses Capitol Planning Region numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.2%.
November through March accounts for 41.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.3% in Connecticut.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.1%).
7.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.2% across Connecticut.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Columbia is SR-32, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-6 (3), SR-16 (2) and SR-66 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
140 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.1% share (Connecticut: 3.3%).
Their busiest month is March, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 5.1, vs 2.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Columbia fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Capitol Planning Region.
- Look at alternatives to SR-32 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 7.0% of truck crashes here, more than Connecticut; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Capitol Planning Region
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-32 | 5 |
| US-6 | 3 |
| SR-16 | 2 |
| SR-66 | 2 |
| SR-195 | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| US-44 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Capitol Planning Region) |
|---|---|
| I-84 | 121 |
| I-91 | 102 |
| Day Hill Rd | 16 |
| Main St | 13 |
| Main Street | 13 |
| Berlin Trnpk | 12 |
| Main St No 1 | 11 |
| Brainard Rd | 11 |
Columbia at a glance
| Population | 5,359 |
| Land area | 21.4 sq mi |
| Density | 251 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 06237) | $127,000 |
| Median home value (ZIP 06237) | $361,526 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Capitol Planning Region 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 | 204 | — | 0.0 |
| 2000s | 210 | +3% | 4.2 |
| 2010s | 279 | +33% | 5.7 |
| 2020s | 405 | +45% | 8.2 |
In the 1990s about 204 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 405. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 6.8 a year in 2016–19 and 8.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Columbia
How many truck accidents are there in Columbia?
Capitol Planning Region has had 4,545 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,846 people and killing 118.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Columbia?
Since 2015, SR-32 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Columbia: 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Columbia?
The worst month is December: 9.2% of truck crashes in Capitol Planning Region happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Columbia?
140 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Capitol Planning Region since 2015, 3.1% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Columbia compare with Connecticut?
Capitol Planning Region records 39.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 40.2 across Connecticut.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Columbia?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.