New Orleans, LA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in New Orleans: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
20 of 772 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How New Orleans compares with Louisiana
New Orleans against Louisiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where New Orleans stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | New Orleans | Louisiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 15.7 | 81.5 | 49.7 | 81% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 27% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.63 | 0.77 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 36% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.8% | 23.6% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.1% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 51% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.9% | 40.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.4% | 23.9% | 24.8% | 23% below the state |
Compared with Louisiana, New Orleans is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Louisiana on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in New Orleans: I-10 most fatal truck crashes within 15 miles of New Orleans: 16 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 772 crashes involving commercial trucks in New Orleans since 2015: 463 people were injured and 15 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 12.6% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (6.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.9% of truck crashes, against 40.3% across Louisiana.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.2%).
0.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.8% across Louisiana.
Where crashes happen
I-10 leads within 15 miles of New Orleans with 16 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come US-90 (7), SR-46 (5) and I-610 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 20 of the truck crashes here, or 2.6%, compared with 2.2% in Louisiana.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (15%).
Route planning tips for New Orleans fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-10; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in New Orleans.
- Morning starts matter: 28.8% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Louisiana.
- 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 New Orleans
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-10 | 16 |
| US-90 | 7 |
| SR-46 | 5 |
| I-610 | 2 |
| SR-39 | 2 |
| SR-47 | 2 |
| US-61 | 2 |
| Almonaster Ave | 1 |
| CR-POYDRAS St | 1 |
| Calliope Street | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (New Orleans) |
|---|---|
| I-10 | 199 |
| US-90 | 117 |
| I-610 | 45 |
| Almonaster | 16 |
| La-39 | 14 |
| Earhart | 14 |
| Tchoupitoulas | 12 |
| I-910 | 12 |
New Orleans at a glance
| Population | 362,701 |
| Land area | 169.5 sq mi |
| Density | 2,140 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 70128) | $56,431 |
| Median home value (ZIP 70128) | $234,179 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in New Orleans 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 | 4 | — | 5.1 |
| 2000s | 0 | -92% | 3.2 |
| 2010s | 0 | -100% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 104 | +34622% | 3.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 104 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.8 a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about New Orleans
How many truck crashes happen in New Orleans?
Since 2015, 772 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in New Orleans (463 injured, 15 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in New Orleans?
Since 2015, I-10 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of New Orleans: 16.
When do most truck crashes happen in New Orleans?
Truck crashes in New Orleans peak in August, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in New Orleans?
Since 2015, New Orleans has reported 20 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.6% of its truck crashes.
How does New Orleans compare with Louisiana for truck crashes?
New Orleans records 15.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 81.5 across Louisiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in New Orleans?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.