Howard County, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Howard County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Howard County compares with Maryland
Howard County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Howard County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Howard County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.9 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.53 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 2.4% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.0% | 24.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.5% | 13.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.7% | 40.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.3% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Howard County has lower values than Maryland for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Maryland on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
What stands out in Howard County: I-95 11 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road in Howard County.
Overview
Police reported 2,423 crashes involving commercial trucks in Howard County since 2015: 1,016 people were injured and 49 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 40.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.4% in Maryland.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (7.1%).
2.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.4% across Maryland.
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads in Howard County with 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-70 (7), SR-32 (4) and US-1 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 53 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 3.1% across Maryland.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (13% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Howard County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-95; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Howard County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Howard County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 11 |
| I-70 | 7 |
| SR-32 | 4 |
| US-1 | 4 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| CR-1140 | 1 |
| CR-121 | 1 |
| CR-1312 | 1 |
| CR-1910 | 1 |
| CR-70 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Howard County) |
|---|---|
| No Name | 1,054 |
| Washington Blvd | 175 |
| Columbia Pike | 61 |
| Sykesville Rd | 53 |
| Patuxent Pkwy | 53 |
| Waterloo Rd | 52 |
| Acrs Marked Off Road | 42 |
| Is95 | 28 |
Howard County at a glance
| Population | 339,668 |
| Land area | 250.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,354 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $154,200 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Howard 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 | 104 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 116 | +12% | 3.5 |
| 2010s | 174 | +50% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 219 | +26% | 4.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 104 a year in the 1990s and 219 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.5 a year in 2016–19, 4.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Howard County
ZIP codes in Howard County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Howard County
How many truck crashes happen in Howard County?
Since 2015, 2,423 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Howard County (1,016 injured, 49 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Howard County?
NHTSA data shows I-95 with 11 fatal large-truck crashes in Howard County since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Howard County?
October has the most truck crashes in Howard County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Howard County?
53 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Howard County since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How does Howard County compare with Maryland for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 61.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Howard County, vs 49.3 for Maryland.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Howard County?
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.