Exeter, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Exeter: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Exeter 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 |
Penobscot County sits below Maine on deaths per 100 crashes. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Penobscot County at a glance: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 24% of them.
Overview
Police reported 1,066 crashes involving commercial trucks in Penobscot County since 2015: 771 people were injured and 15 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 7 truck crashes were reported in Exeter 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.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 8.6% of truck crashes.
24.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 20.2% across Maine.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Exeter since 2015 were spread across roads: Beans Mills Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
37 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.5% share (Maine: 3.4%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in March (24% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 6.1, vs 1.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Exeter fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Penobscot County.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Penobscot County.
- With 24.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Maine), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 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 |
Exeter at a glance
| Population | 992 |
| Land area | 38.6 sq mi |
| Density | 26 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 04435) | $84,408 |
| Median home value (ZIP 04435) | $179,371 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 77 a year in the 1990s and 89 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Exeter
How many truck accidents are there in Exeter?
Penobscot County has had 1,066 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 771 people and killing 15.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Exeter?
February has the most truck crashes in Penobscot County, 12.9% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Exeter?
Since 2015, Penobscot County has reported 37 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Exeter compare with Maine?
Penobscot County records 59.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.4 across Maine.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Exeter?
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.