Indian Head, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Indian Head: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Indian Head and Charles County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Charles County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Charles County compares with Maryland
Charles County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Charles County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Charles County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.3 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 28% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.53 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.5% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.6% | 2.4% | 6.2% | 33% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.6% | 24.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.7% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 8% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.3% | 40.4% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 19.8% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 22% below the state |
Compared with Maryland, Charles County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Charles County at a glance: 1 in 18 garbage-truck share of crashes is 5.5%, against 3.1% for Maryland.
Overview
Since 2015, 710 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Charles County. They injured 364 people and killed 23.
That averages about one truck crash every 6 days in fully reported years.
Indian Head had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Charles County numbers.
85% of truck crash reports in Charles County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 11.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 5.9%.
November through March accounts for 37.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.4% in Maryland.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.6% of truck crashes, compared with 2.4% in Maryland.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-95 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (8). After it: SR-6 (2), US-1 (2) and CR-1 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 39 of the truck crashes here, or 5.5%, compared with 3.1% in Maryland.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in October (15% of them).
They recorded 2.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Indian Head fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-95, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at October schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Charles County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 8 |
| SR-6 | 2 |
| US-1 | 2 |
| CR-1 | 1 |
| CR-1781 | 1 |
| CR-641 | 1 |
| CR-641 Old Bridge Rd | 1 |
| CR-76 | 1 |
| SR-286 | 1 |
| SR-373 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Charles County) |
|---|---|
| Crain Hwy | 170 |
| Leonardtown Rd | 81 |
| Billingsley Rd | 25 |
| Prince Frederick Rd | 23 |
| Mattawoman Beantown Rd | 23 |
| St Charles Pkwy | 20 |
| Charles St | 13 |
| Berry Rd | 13 |
Indian Head at a glance
| Population | 4,247 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,453 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 20658) | $104,375 |
| Median home value (ZIP 20658) | $326,222 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Charles 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 | 34 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 46 | +38% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 48 | +3% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 70 | +46% | 1.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 34 to 70. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Indian Head
How common are truck crashes in Indian Head?
710 truck crashes have been reported in Charles County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 364 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Indian Head?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Indian Head: 8.
When do most truck crashes happen in Indian Head?
The worst month is October: 11.1% of truck crashes in Charles County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Indian Head?
Since 2015, Charles County has reported 39 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Indian Head compared with Maryland?
Charles County records 35.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.3 across Maryland.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Indian Head?
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.