Franklin County, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Franklin County: 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
2 of 187 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Franklin County compares with Massachusetts
Franklin County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Franklin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Franklin County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 21.7 | 22.9 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.1 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 3.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 78% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.7% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.4% | 27.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.0% | 13.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 35.5% | 41.9% | 41.9% | 15% below the state |
| After dark | 19.5% | 19.2% | 24.8% | same |
Franklin County has lower values than Massachusetts for garbage-truck share and winter months (nov–mar). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Franklin County: 7.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Massachusetts: 2.0).
Overview
Police reported 187 crashes involving commercial trucks in Franklin County since 2015: 84 people were injured and 12 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 24 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (13.4% of the year) and are lowest in November (2.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 35.5% of truck crashes, vs 41.9% for Massachusetts.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 10.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Massachusetts: 6.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Franklin County is SR-116, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-91 (1), Northfield Rd (1) and SR-112 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 5.3% in Massachusetts.
Route planning tips for Franklin County fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use SR-116, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 10.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Massachusetts), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Franklin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Franklin County) |
|---|---|
| SR-116 | 2 |
| I-91 | 1 |
| Northfield Rd | 1 |
| SR-112 | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| US-202 | 1 |
| US-5 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Franklin County) |
|---|---|
| Greenfield Rd | 4 |
| Mohawk Trail | 4 |
| 3Rd St @ Ave A St | 2 |
| Avery Brook Rd | 2 |
| Federal St | 2 |
| Northfield Road | 2 |
| Prescott Rd @ Daniel Shays Hwy | 2 |
| Rte 2 | 2 |
Franklin County at a glance
| Population | 70,871 |
| Land area | 699.2 sq mi |
| Density | 101 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $74,936 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Franklin 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 | 8 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 18 | +110% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 16 | -9% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 16 | +2% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 16. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Franklin County
ZIP codes in Franklin County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Franklin County
How many truck accidents are there in Franklin County?
Franklin County has had 187 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 84 people and killing 12.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Franklin County?
NHTSA data shows SR-116 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes in Franklin County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Franklin County?
August has the most truck crashes in Franklin County, 13.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Franklin County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Franklin County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Franklin County compare with Massachusetts?
Per 100,000 residents, Franklin County has 21.7 truck crashes a year; Massachusetts has 22.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Franklin County?
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.