Essex, CT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Essex: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Essex and Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 5.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region compares with Connecticut
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region against Connecticut and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | Connecticut | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.4 | 40.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.3 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 2.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.39 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 3.3% | 2.3% | 13% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 24.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.2% | 14.1% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.5% | 41.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.6% | 28.0% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region has lower values than Connecticut for garbage-truck share and after dark. It runs above Connecticut on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region: 5.3 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Connecticut: 2.2).
Overview
Since 2015, 782 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region. They injured 406 people and killed 39.
That averages about one truck crash every 5 days in fully reported years.
Only 19 truck crashes were reported in Essex since 2015; patterns below come from Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (9.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.5% of truck crashes, vs 41.3% for Connecticut.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 7.2% of truck crashes, compared with 6.2% in Connecticut.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-95 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). After it: SR-9 (3), SR-145 (1) and SR-156 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 23 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 3.3% across Connecticut.
Their busiest month is November, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 5.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Essex fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-95 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in November; review collection routes for that month.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 7.2% of truck crashes here, more than Connecticut; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 7 |
| SR-9 | 3 |
| SR-145 | 1 |
| SR-156 | 1 |
| SR-82 | 1 |
| US-1 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region) |
|---|---|
| I-91 | 43 |
| I-95 | 33 |
| SR-9 | 13 |
| St Highway 9 | 10 |
| Exit 21 I 91 | 8 |
| Elm St | 5 |
| Exit 70 I 95 | 5 |
| SR-66 | 5 |
Essex at a glance
| Population | 6,847 |
| Land area | 10.4 sq mi |
| Density | 658 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 06409) | $107,909 |
| Median home value (ZIP 06409) | $365,669 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Lower Connecticut River Valley 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 | 43 | — | 0.0 |
| 2000s | 43 | -2% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 53 | +25% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 62 | +16% | 3.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 43 a year in the 1990s and 62 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Essex
How many truck accidents are there in Essex?
Since 2015, 782 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region (406 injured, 39 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Essex?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Essex: 7.
When do most truck crashes happen in Essex?
The worst month is February: 9.7% of truck crashes in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Essex?
23 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Essex compare with Connecticut?
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region records 37.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 40.2 across Connecticut.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Essex?
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.