Preston, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Preston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Preston and Caroline County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Caroline County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9 of 266 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Caroline County compares with Maryland
Caroline County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Caroline County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Caroline County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.9 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.3 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 2.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.62 | 0.53 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.0% | 2.4% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.6% | 24.7% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.3% | 13.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 40.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.5% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 39% below the state |
Compared with Maryland, Caroline County is lower on on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Caroline County at a glance: 6.3 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 2.2 across Maryland.
Overview
Police reported 266 crashes involving commercial trucks in Caroline County since 2015: 165 people were injured and 17 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 16 days.
Preston had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Caroline County numbers.
86% of truck crash reports in Caroline County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (11.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.9% of truck crashes, against 40.4% across Maryland.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
2.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.4% across Maryland.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-16 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by SR-307 (2), SR-313 (2) and SR-392 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
9 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.4% share (Maryland: 3.1%).
Route planning tips for Preston fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Caroline County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-16; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 30.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Maryland.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Caroline County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-16 | 3 |
| SR-307 | 2 |
| SR-313 | 2 |
| SR-392 | 2 |
| SR-318 | 1 |
| SR-331 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Caroline County) |
|---|---|
| Shore Hwy | 76 |
| Federalsburg Hwy | 22 |
| Greensboro Rd | 15 |
| Harmony Rd | 8 |
| Bridgeville Rd | 6 |
| Dover Bridge Rd | 5 |
| Ridgely Rd | 5 |
| Burrsville Rd | 4 |
Preston at a glance
| Population | 688 |
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,253 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 21655) | $90,385 |
| Median home value (ZIP 21655) | $304,178 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Caroline 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 | 14 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 11 | -21% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 16 | +42% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 28 | +72% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 14 a year in the 1990s and 28 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Preston
How many truck accidents are there in Preston?
Since 2015, 266 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Caroline County (165 injured, 17 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Preston?
Since 2015, SR-16 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Preston: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Preston?
Truck crashes in Caroline County peak in June, with 11.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Preston?
Since 2015, Caroline County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Preston compared with Maryland?
The yearly rate is 66.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Caroline County, vs 49.3 for Maryland.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Preston?
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.