Middletown, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Middletown: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Middletown and Frederick County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Frederick County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Frederick County compares with Maryland
Frederick County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Frederick County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Frederick County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.2 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.53 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 21% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.7% | 2.4% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 24.7% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.6% | 13.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.5% | 40.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.8% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Frederick County has lower values than Maryland for injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Maryland on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Middletown: I-70 deadliest road: 14 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Middletown since 2015.
Overview
Frederick County has recorded 2,133 truck crashes since 2015, with 974 people injured and 60 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
With 6 truck crashes reported in Middletown since 2015, this page uses Frederick County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
84% of truck crash reports in Frederick 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 9.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 7.2%.
November through March accounts for 39.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.4% in Maryland.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.7%).
Road surface: 2.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Maryland: 2.4%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Middletown is I-70, with 14 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-15 (6), CR-123 (2) and SR-85 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 50 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 3.1% in Maryland.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 10.2, vs 2.8 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Middletown fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-70 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.6% of truck crashes here, more than Maryland; adjust start times where you can.
- 2.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Maryland; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Frederick County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 14 |
| US-15 | 6 |
| CR-123 | 2 |
| SR-85 | 2 |
| US-40 | 2 |
| SR-194 | 1 |
| SR-26 | 1 |
| SR-34 | 1 |
| Us-40Al | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Frederick County) |
|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Hwy | 465 |
| Balto National Pike | 222 |
| Catoctin Mountain Hwy | 174 |
| Liberty Rd | 71 |
| Jefferson National Pike | 67 |
| Buckeystown Pike | 65 |
| Green Valley Rd | 59 |
| Frederick Freeway | 57 |
Middletown at a glance
| Population | 5,055 |
| Land area | 2.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2,387 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 21769) | $151,563 |
| Median home value (ZIP 21769) | $513,246 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Frederick 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 | 78 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 92 | +17% | 3.5 |
| 2010s | 128 | +40% | 3.7 |
| 2020s | 199 | +55% | 5.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 78 a year in the 1990s and 199 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.5 a year in 2016–19 and 5.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Middletown
How common are truck crashes in Middletown?
2,133 truck crashes have been reported in Frederick County since 2015, with 60 deaths and 974 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Middletown?
Since 2015, I-70 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Middletown: 14.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Middletown?
The worst month is October: 9.6% of truck crashes in Frederick County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Middletown?
50 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Frederick County since 2015, 2.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Middletown compared with Maryland?
The yearly rate is 61.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Frederick County, vs 49.3 for Maryland.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Middletown?
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.