Upton, MA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Upton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Upton 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 has lower values than Massachusetts for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Massachusetts on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Upton: I-495 6 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Upton.
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 23 truck crashes reported in Upton since 2015, this page uses Worcester County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.4% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.4%).
November through March accounts for 43.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in Massachusetts.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 9.3% of truck crashes, compared with 6.6% in Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-495 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). Next come I-90 (5), SR-16 (3) and US-20 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
148 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.9% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (14% of them).
They recorded 3.5 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Upton fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-495 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 9.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Massachusetts; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Worcester County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 6 |
| I-90 | 5 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| US-20 | 3 |
| Central Tpke | 1 |
| Ernest Ave | 1 |
| SR-135 | 1 |
| SR-146 | 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 |
Upton at a glance
| Population | 8,475 |
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
| Density | 3,433 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 01568) | $160,417 |
| Median home value (ZIP 01568) | $578,476 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 76 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 352. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. 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 Upton
How many truck crashes happen in Upton?
3,757 truck crashes have been reported in Worcester County since 2015, with 63 deaths and 1,623 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Upton?
I-495 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Upton since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Upton?
Truck crashes in Worcester County peak in August, with 9.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Upton?
Garbage trucks were involved in 148 reported crashes in Worcester County since 2015 (3.9% of truck crashes).
How does Upton compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 35.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Worcester County, vs 22.9 for Massachusetts.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Upton?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.