Appleton, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Appleton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Appleton and Knox County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Knox County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 181 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Knox County compares with Maine
Knox County against Maine and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Knox County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Knox County | Maine | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.6 | 57.4 | 49.7 | 36% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 11% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.7% | 20.2% | 6.2% | 37% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.7% | 26.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.2% | 20.8% | 13.8% | 27% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.4% | 48.2% | 41.9% | 18% below the state |
| After dark | 11.5% | 19.1% | 24.8% | 40% below the state |
Knox County has lower values than Maine for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Maine on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Appleton: SR-3 deadliest road: 2 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Appleton since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 181 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Knox County. They injured 109 people and killed 7.
That averages about one truck crash every 24 days in fully reported years.
Only 6 truck crashes were reported in Appleton since 2015; patterns below come from Knox County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 12.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 5.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.4% of truck crashes, vs 48.2% for Maine.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (10.5%).
Road surface: 12.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Maine: 20.2%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-3 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). After it: SR-17 (1), SR-220 (1) and Sr- 17 Heald Hwy (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
6 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (Maine: 3.4%).
Route planning tips for Appleton fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Knox County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-3 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 29.7% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Maine; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Knox County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-3 | 2 |
| SR-17 | 1 |
| SR-220 | 1 |
| Sr- 17 Heald Hwy | 1 |
| Sr-Belfast Augusta Road | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Knox County) |
|---|---|
| Augusta Rd | 12 |
| Main St | 12 |
| Camden Rd | 10 |
| Atlantic Hwy | 10 |
| Heald Hwy | 8 |
| Commercial St | 7 |
| Old County Rd | 7 |
| West St | 6 |
Appleton at a glance
| Population | 1,452 |
| Land area | 32.7 sq mi |
| Density | 44 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 04862) | $73,536 |
| Median home value (ZIP 04862) | $252,340 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Knox 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 | 12 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 13 | +11% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 17 | +26% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 13 | -25% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 13 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Appleton
How common are truck crashes in Appleton?
Knox County has had 181 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 109 people and killing 7.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Appleton?
Since 2015, SR-3 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Appleton: 2.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Appleton?
October has the most truck crashes in Knox County, 12.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Appleton?
Since 2015, Knox County has reported 6 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Appleton compare with Maine for truck crashes?
Knox County records 36.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.4 across Maine.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Appleton?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.