Ayer, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ayer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ayer and Middlesex County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Middlesex County numbers.
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 |
Compared with Massachusetts, Middlesex County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Ayer: I-495 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Ayer since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks in Middlesex County since 2015: 1,863 people were injured and 73 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Only 25 truck crashes were reported in Ayer since 2015; patterns below come from Middlesex County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.4% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out 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
I-495 leads within 10 miles of Ayer with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-190 (2), SR-12 (2) and Littleton Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 255 crashes, 5.7% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in November (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.2 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Ayer fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-495; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Middlesex County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.4% of truck crashes here, more than Massachusetts; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 3 |
| I-190 | 2 |
| SR-12 | 2 |
| Littleton Rd | 1 |
| SR-110 | 1 |
| SR-2A | 1 |
| Upham St | 1 |
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 |
Ayer at a glance
| Population | 9,010 |
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
| Density | 6,795 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01432) | $101,966 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01432) | $465,133 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 107 to 406. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 7.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ayer
How many truck crashes happen in Ayer?
4,505 truck crashes have been reported in Middlesex County since 2015, with 73 deaths and 1,863 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Ayer?
Since 2015, I-495 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ayer: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ayer?
January has the most truck crashes in Middlesex County, 9.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ayer?
255 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Middlesex County since 2015, 5.7% of all truck crashes.
How does Ayer compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
Middlesex County records 23.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ayer?
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.