Rowley, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rowley: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Rowley 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 has lower values than Massachusetts for crashes per 100k residents / yr and deaths per 100 crashes. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
The headline for Essex County: 1 in 13 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 7.7%, vs 5.3% in Massachusetts.
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 15 truck crashes reported in Rowley since 2015, this page uses Essex County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 6.6% of truck crashes, compared with 6.6% in Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Rowley happened on High St (1), I-95 (1) and US-1 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 137 of the truck crashes here, or 7.7%, compared with 5.3% in Massachusetts.
Their busiest month is December, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.8, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Rowley fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
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) |
|---|---|
| High St | 1 |
| I-95 | 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 |
Rowley at a glance
| Population | 6,334 |
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Density | 3,695 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01969) | $132,734 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01969) | $674,144 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 40 a year in the 1990s and 159 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Rowley
How many truck crashes happen in Rowley?
Essex County has had 1,776 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 816 people and killing 33.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Rowley?
The worst month is December: 10.9% of truck crashes in Essex County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Rowley?
Garbage trucks were involved in 137 reported crashes in Essex County since 2015 (7.7% of truck crashes).
How does Rowley compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Essex County has 18.6 truck crashes a year; Massachusetts has 22.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Rowley?
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.