Southwest Harbor, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Southwest Harbor: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Southwest Harbor 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 |
Hancock County sits below Maine on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am).
Hancock County at a glance: 1 in 53 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.9%, vs 3.4% in Maine.
Overview
Police reported 340 crashes involving commercial trucks in Hancock County since 2015: 202 people were injured and 10 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 13 days.
Southwest Harbor had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Hancock County numbers.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 11.8% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.2% of truck crashes, vs 48.2% for Maine.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 11.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 16.7% of truck crashes, compared with 20.2% in Maine.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Southwest Harbor happened on SR-3 (1) and Village Green Way (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
6 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.8% share (Maine: 3.4%).
Route planning tips for Southwest Harbor fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.3% of truck crashes here, more than Maine; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Hancock County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-3 | 1 |
| Village Green Way | 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 |
Southwest Harbor at a glance
| Population | 1,846 |
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,370 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 04679) | $59,205 |
| Median home value (ZIP 04679) | $431,139 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 25 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 31. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Southwest Harbor
How many truck accidents are there in Southwest Harbor?
Hancock County has had 340 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 202 people and killing 10.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Southwest Harbor?
December has the most truck crashes in Hancock County, 11.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Southwest Harbor?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in Hancock County since 2015 (1.8% of truck crashes).
How does Southwest Harbor compare with Maine for truck crashes?
Hancock County records 50.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.4 across Maine.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Southwest Harbor?
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.