Oakham, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Oakham: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Oakham and Worcester County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Worcester County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Worcester County compares with Massachusetts
Worcester County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Worcester County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Worcester County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.7 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 23% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.3% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 27.3% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.7% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.8% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Worcester County sits below Massachusetts on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Worcester County: January garbage-truck crashes peak in January (14% of the year's total).
Overview
Since 2015, 3,757 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Worcester County. They injured 1,623 people and killed 63.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Oakham since 2015, this page uses Worcester County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (9.4% of the year) and are lowest in November (7.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.7% of truck crashes, vs 41.9% for Massachusetts.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.4% of truck crashes.
9.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.6% across Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Oakham happened on Pleasant St (1), SR-31 (1), SR-56 (1) and SR-9 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 148 crashes, 3.9% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (14% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.5 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Oakham fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Worcester County.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 9.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Massachusetts), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Worcester County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Pleasant St | 1 |
| SR-31 | 1 |
| SR-56 | 1 |
| SR-9 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Worcester County) |
|---|---|
| Main St | 54 |
| Cambridge St | 49 |
| Hammond St | 26 |
| Southwest Cutoff | 26 |
| Turnpike Rd | 23 |
| Webster St | 19 |
| E Main St | 13 |
| Southbridge St | 12 |
Oakham at a glance
| Population | 1,914 |
| Land area | 20.8 sq mi |
| Density | 92 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01068) | $102,000 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01068) | $409,300 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Worcester 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 | 76 | — | 6.7 |
| 2000s | 220 | +190% | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 295 | +34% | 5.3 |
| 2020s | 352 | +19% | 4.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 76 a year in the 1990s and 352 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 5.2 a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Oakham
How common are truck crashes in Oakham?
3,757 truck crashes have been reported in Worcester County since 2015, with 63 deaths and 1,623 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Oakham?
August has the most truck crashes in Worcester County, 9.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Oakham?
Garbage trucks were involved in 148 reported crashes in Worcester County since 2015 (3.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Oakham compare with Massachusetts?
The yearly rate is 35.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Worcester County, vs 22.9 for Massachusetts.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Oakham?
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.