Portland, CT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Portland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Portland 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 |
Compared with Connecticut, Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region is lower on garbage-truck share and after dark. It runs above Connecticut on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region: 5.3 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Connecticut: 2.2).
Overview
Police reported 782 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region since 2015: 406 people were injured and 39 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
Portland had 13 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.5% of truck crashes, vs 41.3% for Connecticut.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (7.9%).
7.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.2% across Connecticut.
Where crashes happen
I-91 leads within 10 miles of Portland with 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-15 (4), SR-155 (2) and SR-17 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 23 of the truck crashes here, or 2.9%, compared with 3.3% in Connecticut.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in November (17%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 5.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Portland fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region.
- Check whether your routes use I-91, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at November schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 7.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Connecticut; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 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-91 | 10 |
| SR-15 | 4 |
| SR-155 | 2 |
| SR-17 | 2 |
| SR-9 | 2 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| SR-287 | 1 |
| SR-66 | 1 |
| SR-99 | 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 |
Portland at a glance
| Population | 9,478 |
| Land area | 6.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,581 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 06480) | $118,929 |
| Median home value (ZIP 06480) | $337,412 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 43 to 62. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Portland
How common are truck crashes in Portland?
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 Portland?
NHTSA data shows I-91 with 10 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Portland since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Portland?
February has the most truck crashes in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, 9.7% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Portland?
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 does Portland compare with Connecticut for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 37.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, vs 40.2 for Connecticut.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Portland?
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.