Crystal Lake, FL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Crystal Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Crystal Lake and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Florida
Polk County against Florida and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.4 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.51 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 25.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.9% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 42.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.4% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Polk County has lower values than Florida for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
What stands out in Polk County: February garbage-truck crashes peak in February (13% of the year's total).
Overview
Police reported 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 3,056 people were injured and 257 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Crystal Lake had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Polk County numbers.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.4% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.1% for Florida.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.0% of truck crashes, compared with 0.1% in Florida.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Crystal Lake since 2015 were spread across roads: I-4 (12), US-92 (12), US-98 (9), SR-659 (6) and SR-33 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
138 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.5% share (Florida: 3.8%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (13% of them).
They recorded 2.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Crystal Lake fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at February schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-4 | 12 |
| US-92 | 12 |
| US-98 | 9 |
| SR-659 | 6 |
| SR-33 | 4 |
| US-17 | 3 |
| SR-60 | 2 |
| CR-33A | 1 |
| CR-542 | 1 |
| CR-546 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| SR-60 | 431 |
| SR-27 | 354 |
| US-27 | 160 |
| US-98 | 158 |
| Sr25 (Highway 27) | 139 |
| US-92 | 128 |
| I-4 | 115 |
| SR-98 | 92 |
Crystal Lake at a glance
| Land area | 2.6 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 33801) | $53,061 |
| Median home value (ZIP 33801) | $160,614 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 96 | — | 18.1 |
| 2000s | 258 | +167% | 19.4 |
| 2010s | 319 | +24% | 14.2 |
| 2020s | 539 | +69% | 21.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 96 a year in the 1990s and 539 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 18.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 21.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Crystal Lake
How common are truck crashes in Crystal Lake?
Polk County has had 5,582 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,056 people and killing 257.
When do most truck crashes happen in Crystal Lake?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in March, with 10.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Crystal Lake?
138 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
How does Crystal Lake compare with Florida for truck crashes?
Polk County records 56.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 37.4 across Florida.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Crystal Lake?
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.