Malden, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Malden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Malden 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 Malden: I-93 deadliest road: 7 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Malden since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Middlesex County. They injured 1,863 people and killed 73.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Only 45 truck crashes were reported in Malden since 2015; patterns below come from Middlesex County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.5% of the year) and are lowest in April (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.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 6.2% of truck crashes, compared with 6.6% in Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-93 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). After it: SR-2A (4), SR-16 (3) and Cambridge St (2).
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 Malden fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-93; 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.
- 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-93 | 7 |
| SR-2A | 4 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| Cambridge St | 2 |
| Common St | 2 |
| I-95 | 2 |
| Massachusetts Ave | 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 |
Malden at a glance
| Population | 66,693 |
| Land area | 5.0 sq mi |
| Density | 13,220 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 02148) | $100,606 |
| Median home value (ZIP 02148) | $633,538 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.2 a year in 2016–19, 7.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Malden
How common are truck crashes in Malden?
Since 2015, 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Middlesex County (1,863 injured, 73 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Malden?
NHTSA data shows I-93 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Malden since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Malden?
The worst month is January: 9.5% of truck crashes in Middlesex County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Malden?
Garbage trucks were involved in 255 reported crashes in Middlesex County since 2015 (5.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Malden compare with Massachusetts?
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 Malden?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.