Sterling, CT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sterling: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sterling and Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
15 of 433 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region compares with Connecticut
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region against Connecticut and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Connecticut | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.6 | 40.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.9 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 2.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.39 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 3.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 2.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.8% | 24.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.3% | 14.1% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.7% | 41.3% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 28.7% | 28.0% | 24.8% | same |
It runs above Connecticut on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region at a glance: 15.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 6.2% in Connecticut.
Overview
Police reported 433 crashes involving commercial trucks in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region since 2015: 179 people were injured and 24 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 9 days.
Only 4 truck crashes were reported in Sterling since 2015; patterns below come from Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (12.5% of the year) and are lowest in November (4.8%).
November through March accounts for 44.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.3% in Connecticut.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (7.9%).
Road surface: 15.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Connecticut: 6.2%).
Where crashes happen
I-395 leads within 10 miles of Sterling with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-6 (3), SR-12 (2) and Prince Hill Road (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
15 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.5% share (Connecticut: 3.3%).
Route planning tips for Sterling fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-395 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 15.2% of truck crashes here, more than Connecticut; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2018; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-395 | 5 |
| US-6 | 3 |
| SR-12 | 2 |
| Prince Hill Road | 1 |
| SR-169 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region) |
|---|---|
| I-395 | 32 |
| I-84 | 9 |
| Green Hollow Rd | 4 |
| SR-6 | 4 |
| Wauregan Rd | 3 |
| SR-44 | 3 |
| Hartford Pike | 3 |
| Exit 73 I 84 | 3 |
Sterling at a glance
| Population | 3,694 |
| Land area | 27.2 sq mi |
| Density | 136 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in Northeastern Connecticut 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 | 22 | — | 0.0 |
| 2000s | 29 | +32% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 30 | +5% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 38 | +27% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 22 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 38. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sterling
How many truck crashes happen in Sterling?
Since 2015, 433 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region (179 injured, 24 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Sterling?
Since 2015, I-395 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Sterling: 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in Sterling?
December has the most truck crashes in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, 12.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Sterling?
Garbage trucks were involved in 15 reported crashes in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region since 2015 (3.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Sterling compared with Connecticut?
The yearly rate is 39.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, vs 40.2 for Connecticut.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Sterling?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2018; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.