Germantown, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Germantown: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Germantown and Montgomery County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Montgomery County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Montgomery County compares with Maryland
Montgomery County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Montgomery County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Montgomery County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 31.8 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 35% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 55% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.53 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.8% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 2.4% | 6.2% | 19% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.3% | 24.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.9% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 40.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Montgomery County sits below Maryland on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Montgomery County: 1 in 21 crashes involve a garbage truck (190 since 2015), vs 3.1% across Maryland.
Overview
Montgomery County has recorded 3,957 truck crashes since 2015, with 2,079 people injured and 38 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Germantown had 29 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Montgomery County numbers.
87% of truck crash reports in Montgomery County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (9.6% of the year) and are lowest in February (6.8%).
November through March accounts for 40.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.4% in Maryland.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.4%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 2.4% in Maryland.
Where crashes happen
I-270 leads within 10 miles of Germantown with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-355 (2), Ashbury Dr (1) and CR-212 Shady Grove Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
190 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.8% share (Maryland: 3.1%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (12% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.2, vs 1.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Germantown fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-270; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Montgomery County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-270 | 5 |
| SR-355 | 2 |
| Ashbury Dr | 1 |
| CR-212 Shady Grove Rd | 1 |
| CR-3283 | 1 |
| CR-4139 Wightman Rd | 1 |
| I-97 | 1 |
| SR-190 | 1 |
| SR-200 | 1 |
| Sr-Green Valley Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Montgomery County) |
|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 851 |
| Eisenhower Memorial Hwy | 456 |
| Georgia Ave | 92 |
| Shady Grove Rd | 83 |
| Frederick Rd | 82 |
| Acrs Marked Off Road | 75 |
| New Hampshire Ave | 72 |
| Rockville Pike | 55 |
Germantown at a glance
| Land area | 17.0 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Montgomery 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 | 177 | — | 3.7 |
| 2000s | 206 | +17% | 3.6 |
| 2010s | 262 | +27% | 2.6 |
| 2020s | 354 | +35% | 3.0 |
In the 1990s about 177 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 354. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Germantown
How many truck accidents are there in Germantown?
3,957 truck crashes have been reported in Montgomery County since 2015, with 38 deaths and 2,079 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Germantown?
NHTSA data shows I-270 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Germantown since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Germantown?
The worst month is December: 9.6% of truck crashes in Montgomery County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Germantown?
Since 2015, Montgomery County has reported 190 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.8% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Germantown compare with Maryland?
Per 100,000 residents, Montgomery County has 31.8 truck crashes a year; Maryland has 49.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Germantown?
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.