Chelmsford, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chelmsford: 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
12 of 302 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chelmsford compares with Massachusetts
Chelmsford against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chelmsford stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chelmsford | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.1 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 3.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.0% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 25% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.4% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.1% | 27.3% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.7% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.7% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.7% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Chelmsford sits below Massachusetts on garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Chelmsford: I-495 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Chelmsford: 6 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 302 crashes involving commercial trucks in Chelmsford since 2015: 142 people were injured and 6 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.7% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (8.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 9.4% of truck crashes, compared with 6.6% in Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Chelmsford is I-495, with 6 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come Alcott Rd (1), Bridge St (1) and Broadway Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 12 crashes, 4.0% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Route planning tips for Chelmsford fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-495 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 31.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Massachusetts.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 9.4% of truck crashes here, more than Massachusetts; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Chelmsford
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 6 |
| Alcott Rd | 1 |
| Bridge St | 1 |
| Broadway Rd | 1 |
| Daniel Webster Hwy | 1 |
| Route 110 | 1 |
| SR-110 | 1 |
| SR-2A | 1 |
| SR-38 | 1 |
| SR-4 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chelmsford) |
|---|---|
| Rte 495 | 8 |
| Rte 495 Nb X 88 | 6 |
| Rte 495 N X 88 | 6 |
| Rte 495 N X 89A | 5 |
| Rte 495 S South Of Rest Area | 5 |
| Rte 495 N X 87 | 4 |
| Rte 495 Nb Exit 34 | 4 |
| Rte 495 Sb Exit 34 | 4 |
Chelmsford at a glance
| Population | 36,953 |
| Land area | 22.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,651 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01824) | $140,050 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01824) | $617,131 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chelmsford 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 | — | 5.5 |
| 2000s | 14 | +74% | 4.7 |
| 2010s | 19 | +41% | 4.5 |
| 2020s | 27 | +39% | 7.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 27. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.2 a year in 2016–19, 7.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chelmsford
How many truck crashes happen in Chelmsford?
Since 2015, 302 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Chelmsford (142 injured, 6 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Chelmsford?
I-495 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Chelmsford since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Chelmsford?
The worst month is January: 11.9% of truck crashes in Chelmsford happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Chelmsford?
Since 2015, Chelmsford has reported 12 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Chelmsford compare with Massachusetts?
The yearly rate is 68.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Chelmsford, vs 22.9 for Massachusetts.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Chelmsford?
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.