South Portland, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Portland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South Portland and Cumberland County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cumberland County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Cumberland County compares with Maine
Cumberland County against Maine and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cumberland County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cumberland County | Maine | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.1 | 57.4 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 46% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.1% | 20.2% | 6.2% | 30% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.5% | 26.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.0% | 20.8% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.4% | 48.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.0% | 19.1% | 24.8% | same |
Cumberland County sits below Maine on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
The headline for South Portland: I-95 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of South Portland.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,983 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cumberland County. They injured 1,076 people and killed 29.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
Only 188 truck crashes were reported in South Portland since 2015; patterns below come from Cumberland County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (9.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.4% of truck crashes, against 48.2% across Maine.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.0%).
Road surface: 14.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Maine: 20.2%).
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads within 10 miles of South Portland with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-22 (2), SR-26 (2) and District Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 77 crashes, 3.9% of the total, against 3.4% across Maine.
Their busiest month is October, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.4 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for South Portland fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cumberland County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-95; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at October 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
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 Cumberland County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 3 |
| SR-22 | 2 |
| SR-26 | 2 |
| District Rd | 1 |
| Riverside St | 1 |
| SR-4 | 1 |
| Sr-Bernard P Rines | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cumberland County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 282 |
| I-295 | 212 |
| Roosevelt Trl | 69 |
| Main St | 52 |
| SR-1 | 42 |
| Congress St | 33 |
| Forest Av | 33 |
| US-1 | 32 |
South Portland at a glance
| Population | 26,994 |
| Land area | 12.0 sq mi |
| Density | 2,241 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 04106) | $86,188 |
| Median home value (ZIP 04106) | $439,066 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cumberland 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 | 114 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 146 | +28% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 160 | +9% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 159 | -0% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 114 a year in the 1990s and 159 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South Portland
How many truck crashes happen in South Portland?
Cumberland County has had 1,983 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,076 people and killing 29.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in South Portland?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of South Portland: 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in South Portland?
The worst month is December: 9.9% of truck crashes in Cumberland County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in South Portland?
Since 2015, Cumberland County has reported 77 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in South Portland compared with Maine?
Per 100,000 residents, Cumberland County has 54.1 truck crashes a year; Maine has 57.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in South Portland?
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.