Lexington, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lexington: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lexington 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 |
Middlesex County sits below Massachusetts 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).
The headline for Lexington: I-93 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Lexington.
Overview
Middlesex County has recorded 4,505 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,863 people injured and 73 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Only 192 truck crashes were reported in Lexington since 2015; patterns below come from Middlesex County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 9.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.4% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 6.2% of truck crashes, compared with 6.6% in Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
I-93 leads within 10 miles of Lexington with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-2A (4), I-90 (3) and I-95 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 255 crashes, 5.7% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Their busiest month is November, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.2 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Lexington fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-93 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at November schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 30.4% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Massachusetts; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Middlesex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-93 | 5 |
| SR-2A | 4 |
| I-90 | 3 |
| I-95 | 3 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| Cambridge St | 2 |
| 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 |
Lexington at a glance
| Population | 34,743 |
| Land area | 16.4 sq mi |
| Density | 2,114 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 02421) | $227,813 |
| Median home value (ZIP 02421) | $1,196,561 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 107 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 406. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.2 a year in 2016–19 and 7.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lexington
How common are truck crashes in Lexington?
Since 2015, 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Middlesex County (1,863 injured, 73 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lexington?
Since 2015, I-93 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lexington: 5.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Lexington?
Truck crashes in Middlesex County peak in January, with 9.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lexington?
Since 2015, Middlesex County has reported 255 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.7% of its truck crashes.
How does Lexington compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
Middlesex County records 23.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lexington?
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.