Massachusetts truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Massachusetts: 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
1.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Massachusetts compares with United States
Massachusetts against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Massachusetts stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Massachusetts | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 22.9 | 49.7 | 54% below the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 3.4 | 41% below the US |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.3% | 2.3% | 2.3× the US |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.3% | 23.7% | 1.2× the US |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.2% | 24.8% | 23% below the US |
Compared with the US, Massachusetts is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Massachusetts: 1 in 19 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 5.3%, vs 2.3% in the US.
Overview
Since 2015, 19,219 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Massachusetts. They injured 8,954 people and killed 393.
That averages about 4 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.3%).
November through March accounts for 41.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in the US.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 6.6% of truck crashes, compared with 6.2% in the US.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Massachusetts is I-90, with 28 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-495 (22), I-95 (10) and US-20 (10).
Garbage & waste trucks
1,005 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.2% share (the US: 2.3%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (10% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.9 deaths compared with 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Massachusetts fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-90, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- 27.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above the US; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Massachusetts
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Massachusetts) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 28 |
| I-495 | 22 |
| I-95 | 10 |
| US-20 | 10 |
| I-93 | 9 |
| SR-24 | 8 |
| US-1 | 8 |
| SR-28 | 7 |
| SR-110 | 6 |
| SR-16 | 6 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Massachusetts) |
|---|---|
| Main St | 179 |
| Washington St | 74 |
| Rte 495 | 69 |
| Cambridge St | 56 |
| Main Street | 49 |
| Rte 95 | 48 |
| Broadway | 38 |
| Pleasant St | 36 |
Massachusetts at a glance
| Population | 7,136,171 |
| Land area | 7,801.0 sq mi |
| Density | 915 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in Massachusetts 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 | 469 | — | 33.6 |
| 2000s | 1,254 | +167% | 28.7 |
| 2010s | 1,733 | +38% | 27.7 |
| 2020s | 1,724 | -1% | 32.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 469 a year in the 1990s and 1,724 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 31.0 a year in 2016–19, 32.0 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in Massachusetts
Largest places in Massachusetts
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about Massachusetts
How common are truck crashes in Massachusetts?
19,219 truck crashes have been reported in Massachusetts since 2015, with 393 deaths and 8,954 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Massachusetts?
NHTSA data shows I-90 with 28 fatal large-truck crashes in Massachusetts since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Massachusetts?
Truck crashes in Massachusetts peak in January, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Massachusetts?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1,005 reported crashes in Massachusetts since 2015 (5.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Massachusetts compare with the US?
Massachusetts records 22.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.7 across the US.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Massachusetts?
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.