Haverhill, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Haverhill: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Haverhill 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.
What stands out in Haverhill: I-495 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Haverhill.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,776 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Essex County. They injured 816 people and killed 33.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
With 194 truck crashes reported in Haverhill since 2015, this page uses Essex County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 10.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.8%.
November through March accounts for 43.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in Massachusetts.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out 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
Within this area, I-495 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). It is followed by SR-110 (4), I-93 (2) and SR-125 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
137 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 7.7% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (12%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.8 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Haverhill fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-495, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December 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 Essex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 5 |
| SR-110 | 4 |
| I-93 | 2 |
| SR-125 | 2 |
| Elm St | 1 |
| SR-121A | 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 |
Haverhill at a glance
| Population | 68,291 |
| Land area | 33.0 sq mi |
| Density | 2,067 per sq mi |
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 large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Haverhill
How many truck crashes happen in Haverhill?
Essex County has had 1,776 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 816 people and killing 33.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Haverhill?
NHTSA data shows I-495 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Haverhill since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Haverhill?
December has the most truck crashes in Essex County, 10.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Haverhill?
137 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Essex County since 2015, 7.7% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Haverhill compared with Massachusetts?
Essex County records 18.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Haverhill?
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.