Mulberry, FL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mulberry: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mulberry 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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
Mulberry at a glance: SR-60 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Mulberry: 12 since 2015.
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.
Only 86 truck crashes were reported in Mulberry since 2015; patterns below come from Polk County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.4% of the year) and are lowest in June (7.2%).
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.1% in Florida.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 7.1% of truck crashes.
0.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.1% across Florida.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-60 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (12). It is followed by US-98 (8), County Line Rd (4) and SR-37 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 138 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 3.8% across Florida.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (13%).
They recorded 2.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Mulberry fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-60; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk County.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| SR-60 | 12 |
| US-98 | 8 |
| County Line Rd | 4 |
| SR-37 | 4 |
| US-92 | 4 |
| CR-640 | 2 |
| CR-542 | 1 |
| CR-640 Lithia Pinecrest Rd | 1 |
| CR-COUNTY Line Rd | 1 |
| Drane Field Rd | 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 |
Mulberry at a glance
| Population | 4,488 |
| Land area | 6.8 sq mi |
| Density | 661 per sq mi |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 96 to 539. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 18.0 a year in 2016–19 and 21.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Mulberry
How many truck accidents are there in Mulberry?
5,582 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 257 deaths and 3,056 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Mulberry?
NHTSA data shows SR-60 with 12 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Mulberry since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Mulberry?
March has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 10.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Mulberry?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 138 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Mulberry compare with Florida?
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 Mulberry?
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.