Amesbury, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Amesbury: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Amesbury and Essex County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Essex County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Essex County compares with Massachusetts
Essex County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Essex County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Essex County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 18.6 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 19% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.7% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.8% | 27.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.6% | 13.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.3% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.9% | 19.2% | 24.8% | same |
Essex County sits below Massachusetts on crashes per 100k residents / yr and deaths per 100 crashes. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
Essex County at a glance: 1 in 13 crashes involve a garbage truck (137 since 2015), vs 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Overview
Essex County has recorded 1,776 truck crashes since 2015, with 816 people injured and 33 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Only 44 truck crashes were reported in Amesbury since 2015; patterns below come from Essex County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (10.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.3% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 6.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Massachusetts: 6.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Amesbury happened on I-495 (2), SR-286 (2), I-95 (1), SR-110 (1) and SR-121A (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 137 crashes, 7.7% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (12% of them).
They recorded 0.8 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Amesbury fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Essex County.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Essex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 2 |
| SR-286 | 2 |
| I-95 | 1 |
| SR-110 | 1 |
| SR-121A | 1 |
| SR-125 | 1 |
| US-1 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Essex County) |
|---|---|
| Rte 495 | 23 |
| Rte 1 | 17 |
| Broadway | 12 |
| Main St | 12 |
| Rte 95 | 11 |
| Lowell St | 7 |
| Washington St | 7 |
| Rte 495 S X 97A | 6 |
Amesbury at a glance
| Population | 17,617 |
| Land area | 12.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,433 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01913) | $103,554 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01913) | $520,696 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Essex 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 | 40 | — | 3.4 |
| 2000s | 112 | +183% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 158 | +42% | 2.8 |
| 2020s | 159 | +1% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 40 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 159. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Amesbury
How many truck crashes happen in Amesbury?
Essex County has had 1,776 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 816 people and killing 33.
When do most truck crashes happen in Amesbury?
December has the most truck crashes in Essex County, 10.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Amesbury?
Garbage trucks were involved in 137 reported crashes in Essex County since 2015 (7.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Amesbury compare with Massachusetts?
Essex County records 18.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Amesbury?
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.