Reading, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Reading: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Reading 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).
Reading at a glance: I-93 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Reading since 2015.
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.
With 112 truck crashes reported in Reading since 2015, this page uses Middlesex County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
6.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.6% across Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Reading is I-93, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-95 (3), SR-125 (2) and SR-99 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
255 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.7% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
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 Reading fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-93, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at November schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 30.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Massachusetts.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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 |
| I-95 | 3 |
| SR-125 | 2 |
| SR-99 | 2 |
| US-1 | 2 |
| Common St | 1 |
| Elm St | 1 |
| Franklin St | 1 |
| Newbury St | 1 |
| SR-16 | 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 |
Reading at a glance
| Population | 26,041 |
| Land area | 10.0 sq mi |
| Density | 2,610 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01867) | $165,912 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01867) | $809,825 |
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. 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 Reading
How common are truck crashes in Reading?
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 Reading?
NHTSA data shows I-93 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Reading since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Reading?
Truck crashes in Middlesex County peak in January, with 9.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Reading?
Garbage trucks were involved in 255 reported crashes in Middlesex County since 2015 (5.7% of truck crashes).
How does Reading compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Middlesex County has 23.2 truck crashes a year; Massachusetts has 22.9.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Reading?
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.