Tavares, FL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Tavares: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Tavares and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 5.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with Florida
Lake County against Florida and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 45.6 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.66 | 0.51 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 15% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 25.2% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.2% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 19% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.3% | 42.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.7% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Lake County has lower values than Florida for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Florida on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Lake County at a glance: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 20% of them.
Overview
Lake County has recorded 2,353 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,540 people injured and 117 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
With 78 truck crashes reported in Tavares since 2015, this page uses Lake County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.3% of truck crashes, vs 42.1% for Florida.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
0.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.1% across Florida.
Where crashes happen
US-27 leads within 10 miles of Tavares with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-91 (6), CR-44 (4) and SR-19 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 76 crashes, 3.2% of the total, against 3.8% across Florida.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in June (20% of them).
They recorded 4.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 5.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Tavares fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake County.
- Look at alternatives to US-27 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Lake County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.1% of truck crashes here, more than Florida; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 7 |
| SR-91 | 6 |
| CR-44 | 4 |
| SR-19 | 3 |
| US-441 | 3 |
| CR-33 | 2 |
| CR-48 | 2 |
| CR-45 Sadler Rd | 1 |
| CR-455 | 1 |
| CR-561 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 278 |
| SR-19 | 100 |
| US-441 | 95 |
| State Road 91 (Floridas Turnpike) | 87 |
| SR-50 | 81 |
| SR-33 | 81 |
| State Road 91 | 76 |
| State Road 91 (Florida Turnpike) | 73 |
Tavares at a glance
| Population | 22,007 |
| Land area | 12.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,783 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 32778) | $63,472 |
| Median home value (ZIP 32778) | $250,375 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake County 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 | 69 | — | 6.4 |
| 2000s | 115 | +66% | 7.7 |
| 2010s | 129 | +12% | 4.6 |
| 2020s | 230 | +79% | 9.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 69 a year in the 1990s and 230 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 7.5 a year in 2016–19, 9.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Tavares
How common are truck crashes in Tavares?
Since 2015, 2,353 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lake County (1,540 injured, 117 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Tavares?
Since 2015, US-27 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Tavares: 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Tavares?
March has the most truck crashes in Lake County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Tavares?
Garbage trucks were involved in 76 reported crashes in Lake County since 2015 (3.2% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Tavares compared with Florida?
Per 100,000 residents, Lake County has 45.6 truck crashes a year; Florida has 37.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Tavares?
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.