Ellsworth, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ellsworth: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ellsworth and Hancock County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Hancock County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 340 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Hancock County compares with Maine
Hancock County against Maine and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Hancock County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Hancock County | Maine | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 50.6 | 57.4 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.60 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 44% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.7% | 20.2% | 6.2% | 17% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.3% | 26.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.0% | 20.8% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.2% | 48.2% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 12.6% | 19.1% | 24.8% | 34% below the state |
Compared with Maine, Hancock County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Hancock County: 1 in 53 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.9%, against 3.4% for Maine.
Overview
Since 2015, 340 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Hancock County. They injured 202 people and killed 10.
That averages about one truck crash every 13 days in fully reported years.
With 86 truck crashes reported in Ellsworth since 2015, this page uses Hancock County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (11.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (4.4%).
November through March accounts for 43.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.2% in Maine.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (11.2%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 16.7% of truck crashes, compared with 20.2% in Maine.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ellsworth since 2015: Sr- Rte 3 (1) and US-1A (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 6 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 3.4% across Maine.
Route planning tips for Ellsworth fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 30.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Maine; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Hancock County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Sr- Rte 3 | 1 |
| US-1A | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Hancock County) |
|---|---|
| Airline Rd | 23 |
| SR-1 | 23 |
| High St | 19 |
| Bangor Rd | 17 |
| Main St | 13 |
| Bar Harbor Rd | 11 |
| Front Ridge Rd | 10 |
| Bucksport Rd | 8 |
Ellsworth at a glance
| Population | 8,822 |
| Land area | 79.3 sq mi |
| Density | 111 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 04605) | $77,377 |
| Median home value (ZIP 04605) | $257,742 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Hancock 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 | 25 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 35 | +37% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 26 | -26% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 31 | +19% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 25 to 31. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ellsworth
How many truck accidents are there in Ellsworth?
340 truck crashes have been reported in Hancock County since 2015, with 10 deaths and 202 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ellsworth?
The worst month is December: 11.8% of truck crashes in Hancock County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ellsworth?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in Hancock County since 2015 (1.8% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Ellsworth compared with Maine?
Per 100,000 residents, Hancock County has 50.6 truck crashes a year; Maine has 57.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ellsworth?
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.