Silver Spring, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Silver Spring: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Silver Spring 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. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Montgomery County: 1 in 21 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.8%, vs 3.1% in Maryland.
Overview
Police reported 3,957 crashes involving commercial trucks in Montgomery County since 2015: 2,079 people were injured and 38 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 65 truck crashes reported in Silver Spring since 2015, this page uses Montgomery County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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
The worst month is December with 9.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.8%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.1% of truck crashes, vs 40.4% for Maryland.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Maryland: 2.4%).
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads within 10 miles of Silver Spring with 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-495 (9), US-50 (3) and SR-190 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 190 of the truck crashes here, or 4.8%, compared with 3.1% in Maryland.
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 Silver Spring fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-95 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Montgomery County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 15 |
| I-495 | 9 |
| US-50 | 3 |
| SR-190 | 2 |
| SR-193 | 2 |
| SR-201 | 2 |
| SR-410 | 2 |
| US-1 | 2 |
| 21st St Nw | 1 |
| 7th St Nw | 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 |
Silver Spring at a glance
| Land area | 7.9 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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 177 a year in the 1990s and 354 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Silver Spring
How many truck accidents are there in Silver Spring?
3,957 truck crashes have been reported in Montgomery County since 2015, with 38 deaths and 2,079 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Silver Spring?
I-95 had 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Silver Spring since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Silver Spring?
Truck crashes in Montgomery County peak in December, with 9.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Silver Spring?
190 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Montgomery County since 2015, 4.8% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Silver Spring compare with Maryland?
Per 100,000 residents, Montgomery County has 31.8 truck crashes a year; Maryland has 49.3.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Silver Spring?
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.