Portage Lake, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Portage Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Portage Lake and Aroostook County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Aroostook County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
11 of 607 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Aroostook County compares with Maine
Aroostook County against Maine and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Aroostook County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Aroostook County | Maine | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 78.6 | 57.4 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.55 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 49% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 37.8% | 20.2% | 6.2% | 1.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.5% | 26.5% | 23.7% | 19% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.8% | 20.8% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 53.7% | 48.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 26.3% | 19.1% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Aroostook County sits below Maine on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Aroostook County at a glance: 37.8% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Maine: 20.2%).
Overview
Police reported 607 crashes involving commercial trucks in Aroostook County since 2015: 331 people were injured and 18 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
Only 8 truck crashes were reported in Portage Lake since 2015; patterns below come from Aroostook County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (13.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.6%).
November through March accounts for 53.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.2% in Maine.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 37.8% of truck crashes, compared with 20.2% in Maine.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Portage Lake since 2015: SR-11 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
11 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.8% share (Maine: 3.4%).
Route planning tips for Portage Lake fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 37.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Maine; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Aroostook County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-11 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Aroostook County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 67 |
| US-1 | 40 |
| Main St | 39 |
| Houlton Rd | 30 |
| Caribou Rd | 22 |
| State Highway 11 | 18 |
| Masardis Rd | 16 |
| Van Buren Rd | 15 |
Portage Lake at a glance
| Population | 362 |
| Land area | 30.8 sq mi |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Aroostook 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 | 44 | — | 2.4 |
| 2000s | 54 | +24% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 50 | -9% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 50 | +0% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 44 a year in the 1990s and 50 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 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Portage Lake
How common are truck crashes in Portage Lake?
Since 2015, 607 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Aroostook County (331 injured, 18 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Portage Lake?
February has the most truck crashes in Aroostook County, 13.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Portage Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Aroostook County since 2015 (1.8% of truck crashes).
How does Portage Lake compare with Maine for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Aroostook County has 78.6 truck crashes a year; Maine has 57.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Portage Lake?
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.