Bethlehem, CT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bethlehem: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bethlehem and Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Naugatuck Valley Planning Region numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Naugatuck Valley Planning Region compares with Connecticut
Naugatuck 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 Naugatuck Valley Planning Region stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Connecticut | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.5 | 40.2 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.39 | 0.49 | 10% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 3.3% | 2.3% | 23% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.5% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 11% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.9% | 24.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.9% | 14.1% | 13.8% | 8% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.6% | 41.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.2% | 28.0% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Compared with Connecticut, Naugatuck Valley Planning Region is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Naugatuck Valley Planning Region: March more garbage-truck crashes happen in March than in any other month (15%).
Overview
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region has recorded 1,924 truck crashes since 2015, with 679 people injured and 37 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Bethlehem had 9 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Naugatuck Valley Planning Region numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 10.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.6% of truck crashes, against 41.3% across Connecticut.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 8.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 5.5% of truck crashes, compared with 6.2% in Connecticut.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Bethlehem happened on Echo Lake Road (1), SR-45 (1), SR-73 (1), US-202 (1) and US-6 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 46 of the truck crashes here, or 2.4%, compared with 3.3% in Connecticut.
Their busiest month is March, with 15% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.3 deaths compared with 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Bethlehem fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- 26.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Connecticut; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Echo Lake Road | 1 |
| SR-45 | 1 |
| SR-73 | 1 |
| US-202 | 1 |
| US-6 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Naugatuck Valley Planning Region) |
|---|---|
| I-84 | 83 |
| Bank St | 29 |
| SR-8 | 25 |
| Main St | 16 |
| Highland Ave | 10 |
| North Main St | 9 |
| I 84 East | 7 |
| Exit 25 I 84 | 7 |
Bethlehem at a glance
| Population | 3,449 |
| Land area | 19.4 sq mi |
| Density | 178 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 06751) | $108,929 |
| Median home value (ZIP 06751) | $410,079 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Naugatuck 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 | 78 | — | 0.0 |
| 2000s | 98 | +27% | 1.8 |
| 2010s | 116 | +18% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 172 | +48% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 78 to 172. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bethlehem
How many truck accidents are there in Bethlehem?
1,924 truck crashes have been reported in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region since 2015, with 37 deaths and 679 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Bethlehem?
The worst month is October: 10.5% of truck crashes in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bethlehem?
Since 2015, Naugatuck Valley Planning Region has reported 46 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.4% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Bethlehem compare with Connecticut?
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region records 35.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 40.2 across Connecticut.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Bethlehem?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.