Patten, ME truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Patten: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Patten 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 has lower values than Maine for deaths per 100 crashes. It runs above Maine on injuries per crash, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Penobscot County: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 24% of them.
Overview
Penobscot County has recorded 1,066 truck crashes since 2015, with 771 people injured and 15 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Patten 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.
Road surface: 24.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Maine: 20.2%).
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Patten since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 37 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 3.4% across Maine.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in March (24% of them).
They recorded 6.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Patten fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Penobscot County.
- 24.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Maine; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Patten at a glance
| Population | 894 |
| Land area | 2.0 sq mi |
| Density | 449 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 04765) | $50,286 |
| Median home value (ZIP 04765) | $126,264 |
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. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Patten
How many truck accidents are there in Patten?
1,066 truck crashes have been reported in Penobscot County since 2015, with 15 deaths and 771 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Patten?
Truck crashes in Penobscot County peak in February, with 12.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Patten?
37 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Penobscot County since 2015, 3.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Patten compared with Maine?
The yearly rate is 59.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Penobscot County, vs 57.4 for Maine.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Patten?
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.