La Plata, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in La Plata: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in La Plata 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 |
Charles County sits below Maryland 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.
What stands out in Charles County: 1 in 18 crashes involve a garbage truck (39 since 2015), vs 3.1% across Maryland.
Overview
Charles County has recorded 710 truck crashes since 2015, with 364 people injured and 23 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
Only 14 truck crashes were reported in La Plata since 2015; patterns below come from Charles County as a whole.
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
October has the most truck crashes, 11.1% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.3% of truck crashes, against 40.4% across Maryland.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Maryland: 2.4%).
Where crashes happen
US-301 leads within 10 miles of La Plata with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-5 (3), SR-234 (2) and CR-50 Middletown Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 39 of the truck crashes here, or 5.5%, compared with 3.1% in Maryland.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in October (15%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.7 deaths compared with 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for La Plata fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use US-301, 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) |
|---|---|
| US-301 | 4 |
| SR-5 | 3 |
| SR-234 | 2 |
| CR-50 Middletown Rd | 1 |
| CR-6 | 1 |
| SR-373 | 1 |
| SR-6 | 1 |
| Sr-5Bu Leonardtown Rd | 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 |
La Plata at a glance
| Population | 11,374 |
| Land area | 8.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,425 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 20646) | $131,974 |
| Median home value (ZIP 20646) | $449,220 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about La Plata
How many truck crashes happen in La Plata?
Charles County has had 710 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 364 people and killing 23.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in La Plata?
US-301 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of La Plata since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in La Plata?
The worst month is October: 11.1% of truck crashes in Charles County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in La Plata?
Garbage trucks were involved in 39 reported crashes in Charles County since 2015 (5.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in La Plata compare with Maryland?
Charles County records 35.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.3 across Maryland.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in La Plata?
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.