Takoma Park, MD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Takoma Park: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Takoma Park 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 |
Compared with Maryland, Montgomery County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Maryland on 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
Since 2015, 3,957 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Montgomery County. They injured 2,079 people and killed 38.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 5 truck crashes reported in Takoma Park 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
December has the most truck crashes, 9.6% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.1% of truck crashes, against 40.4% across Maryland.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.4%).
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 Takoma Park with 16 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-495 (8), US-50 (3) and SR-190 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
190 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.8% share (Maryland: 3.1%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (12%).
They recorded 2.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Takoma Park fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-95, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 | 16 |
| I-495 | 8 |
| US-50 | 3 |
| SR-190 | 2 |
| SR-193 | 2 |
| SR-201 | 2 |
| SR-214 | 2 |
| SR-410 | 2 |
| US-1 | 2 |
| 21st 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 |
Takoma Park at a glance
| Population | 17,856 |
| Land area | 2.1 sq mi |
| Density | 8,544 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 20912) | $83,870 |
| Median home value (ZIP 20912) | $708,340 |
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. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Takoma Park
How common are truck crashes in Takoma Park?
Since 2015, 3,957 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Montgomery County (2,079 injured, 38 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Takoma Park?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Takoma Park: 16.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Takoma Park?
The worst month is December: 9.6% of truck crashes in Montgomery County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Takoma Park?
Garbage trucks were involved in 190 reported crashes in Montgomery County since 2015 (4.8% of truck crashes).
How does Takoma Park compare with Maryland for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Montgomery County has 31.8 truck crashes a year; Maryland has 49.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Takoma Park?
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.