Boston, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Boston: 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
6.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Boston compares with Massachusetts
Boston against Massachusetts and the US, 2016–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Boston stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2016–2025) | Boston | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 13.1 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 43% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.7% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.1% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 69% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.9% | 27.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.3% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 29% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 35.2% | 41.9% | 41.9% | 16% below the state |
| After dark | 23.3% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Massachusetts, Boston is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and after dark.
What stands out in Boston: +104% yearly reported truck crashes went from 40 in the 2000s to 81 in the 2010s.
Overview
Boston has recorded 959 truck crashes since 2015, with 435 people injured and 23 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 10.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 6.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 35.2% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.1% of truck crashes, compared with 6.6% in Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Boston since 2015 were spread across roads: I-93 (7), I-95 (7), SR-2A (4), Washington St (4) and I-90 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
56 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.8% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in June (16%).
They recorded 6.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Boston fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at June schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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.
Crash reporting for 2015 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Boston
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-93 | 7 |
| I-95 | 7 |
| SR-2A | 4 |
| Washington St | 4 |
| I-90 | 3 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| SR-28 | 3 |
| Cambridge St | 2 |
| Common St | 2 |
| Massachusetts Ave | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Boston) |
|---|---|
| Rte 93 S X 15 | 9 |
| Frontage Rd @ Mass Ave Connector | 8 |
| Rte 93 S X 14 | 7 |
| Rte 90 E Mm 131 | 6 |
| Rte 93 Sb @ Exit 23 | 6 |
| Rte 93 Sb Exit 12 | 5 |
| Soldiers Field Rd | 5 |
| Gallivan Blvd | 5 |
Boston at a glance
| Population | 673,458 |
| Land area | 48.3 sq mi |
| Density | 13,931 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 02127) | $164,387 |
| Median home value (ZIP 02127) | $859,272 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Boston 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 | 10 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 40 | +276% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 81 | +104% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 90 | +12% | 2.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 10 a year in the 1990s and 90 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Boston
How many truck crashes happen in Boston?
Since 2015, 959 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Boston (435 injured, 23 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Boston?
Truck crashes in Boston peak in August, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Boston?
Since 2015, Boston has reported 56 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.8% of its truck crashes.
How does Boston compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
Boston records 13.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Boston?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2015; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.