Princeton, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Princeton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Princeton 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). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Princeton: SR-12 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Princeton.
Overview
Police reported 3,757 crashes involving commercial trucks in Worcester County since 2015: 1,623 people were injured and 63 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Only 4 truck crashes were reported in Princeton since 2015; patterns below come from Worcester County as a whole.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.4% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (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.
Road surface: 9.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Massachusetts: 6.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Princeton is SR-12, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-190 (2), SR-110 (1) and SR-2W (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
148 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.9% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
Their busiest month is January, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.5 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Princeton fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-12; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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.
- 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 Worcester County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-12 | 3 |
| I-190 | 2 |
| SR-110 | 1 |
| SR-2W | 1 |
| SR-31 | 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 |
Princeton at a glance
| Population | 3,597 |
| Land area | 35.4 sq mi |
| Density | 102 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01541) | $158,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01541) | $521,368 |
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. NHTSA counts 5.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Princeton
How common are truck crashes in Princeton?
3,757 truck crashes have been reported in Worcester County since 2015, with 63 deaths and 1,623 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Princeton?
SR-12 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Princeton since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Princeton?
The worst month is August: 9.4% of truck crashes in Worcester County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Princeton?
Garbage trucks were involved in 148 reported crashes in Worcester County since 2015 (3.9% of truck crashes).
How does Princeton compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
Worcester County records 35.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Princeton?
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.