Charleston, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Charleston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Charleston and Penobscot County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Penobscot County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Penobscot County compares with Maine
Penobscot County against Maine and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Penobscot County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Penobscot County | Maine | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 59.0 | 57.4 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 46% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.73 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.4% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 24.9% | 20.2% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.1% | 26.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.5% | 20.8% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 51.8% | 48.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 23.5% | 19.1% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Maine, Penobscot County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Penobscot County: March more garbage-truck crashes happen in March than in any other month (24%).
Overview
Penobscot County has recorded 1,066 truck crashes since 2015, with 771 people injured and 15 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 6 truck crashes were reported in Charleston since 2015; patterns below come from Penobscot County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 12.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 6.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 51.8% of truck crashes, vs 48.2% for Maine.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 24.9% of truck crashes, compared with 20.2% in Maine.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Charleston happened on Beans Mills Rd (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 37 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 3.4% across Maine.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (24%).
They recorded 6.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Charleston fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Penobscot County.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 24.9% of truck crashes here, more than Maine; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Penobscot County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Beans Mills Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Penobscot County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 417 |
| Main Rd | 49 |
| Broadway | 24 |
| Main St | 23 |
| Hammond St | 16 |
| Parking Lot | 14 |
| Western Av | 14 |
| Airline Rd | 13 |
Charleston at a glance
| Population | 1,621 |
| Land area | 40.6 sq mi |
| Density | 40 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 04422) | $75,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 04422) | $234,013 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Penobscot 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 | 77 | — | 2.4 |
| 2000s | 87 | +13% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 89 | +2% | 1.3 |
| 2020s | 89 | +1% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 77 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 89. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Charleston
How many truck accidents are there in Charleston?
1,066 truck crashes have been reported in Penobscot County since 2015, with 15 deaths and 771 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Charleston?
Truck crashes in Penobscot County peak in February, with 12.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Charleston?
Since 2015, Penobscot County has reported 37 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Charleston compared with Maine?
Per 100,000 residents, Penobscot County has 59.0 truck crashes a year; Maine has 57.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Charleston?
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.