Middlesex County, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Middlesex 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
1.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Middlesex County compares with Massachusetts
Middlesex County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Middlesex County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.2 | 22.9 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.7% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.2% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 7% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.4% | 27.3% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.8% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.5% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Middlesex County sits below Massachusetts on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Massachusetts on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Middlesex County: 1.6× fatal truck crashes in Middlesex County per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (7.0 vs 4.2).
Overview
Police reported 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks in Middlesex County since 2015: 1,863 people were injured and 73 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in Massachusetts.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 6.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Massachusetts: 6.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Middlesex County is I-495, with 10 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-90 (7), I-93 (5) and SR-2A (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
255 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.7% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in November (12% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.2, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Middlesex County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Middlesex County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-495; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at November schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.4% of truck crashes here, more than Massachusetts; adjust start times where you can.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Middlesex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Middlesex County) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 10 |
| I-90 | 7 |
| I-93 | 5 |
| SR-2A | 5 |
| I-95 | 3 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| Common St | 2 |
| Putnam Ave | 2 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| SR-99 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Middlesex County) |
|---|---|
| Main St | 52 |
| Rte 495 | 24 |
| Washington St | 19 |
| Ballardvale St | 19 |
| Main Street | 16 |
| Boston Post Rd | 16 |
| Rte 90 E X 123 | 15 |
| Lowell St | 13 |
Middlesex County at a glance
| Population | 1,668,956 |
| Land area | 817.9 sq mi |
| Density | 2,041 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $139,101 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Middlesex 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 | 107 | — | 5.5 |
| 2000s | 284 | +165% | 4.7 |
| 2010s | 398 | +40% | 4.5 |
| 2020s | 406 | +2% | 7.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 107 a year in the 1990s and 406 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 7.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Middlesex County
ZIP codes in Middlesex County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Middlesex County
How many truck crashes happen in Middlesex County?
Since 2015, 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Middlesex County (1,863 injured, 73 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Middlesex County?
I-495 had 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Middlesex County since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Middlesex County?
The worst month is January: 9.5% of truck crashes in Middlesex County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Middlesex County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 255 reported crashes in Middlesex County since 2015 (5.7% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Middlesex County compared with Massachusetts?
The yearly rate is 23.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Middlesex County, vs 22.9 for Massachusetts.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Middlesex County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.