New Jersey truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in New Jersey: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How New Jersey compares with United States
New Jersey against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where New Jersey stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | New Jersey | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.6 | 49.7 | 1.1× the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 3.4 | 53% below the US |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.2× the US |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.5× the US |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.3% | 6.2% | 46% below the US |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the US |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.7% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.9% | 24.8% | 20% below the US |
Compared with the US, New Jersey is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It runs above the US on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
New Jersey at a glance: 1 in 28 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.6%, vs 2.3% in the US.
Overview
Police reported 63,185 crashes involving commercial trucks in New Jersey since 2015: 36,322 people were injured and 995 were killed.
That averages about 15 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.6% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (7.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.9% of truck crashes, vs 41.9% for the US.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.6% of truck crashes.
3.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.2% across the US.
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads in New Jersey with 58 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-1 (29), I-80 (25) and I-295 (22).
Garbage & waste trucks
2,235 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.5% share (the US: 2.3%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in October (10%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.1, vs 1.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for New Jersey fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in New Jersey.
- Where you can, review stops along I-95; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in October; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.0% of truck crashes here, more than the US; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in New Jersey
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in New Jersey) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 58 |
| US-1 | 29 |
| I-80 | 25 |
| I-295 | 22 |
| US-130 | 22 |
| I-78 | 21 |
| US-9 | 15 |
| I-287 | 14 |
| US-206 | 13 |
| US-40 | 12 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (New Jersey) |
|---|---|
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike | 5,340 |
| US-1 | 2,458 |
| I-78 | 2,449 |
| I-80 | 2,290 |
| I-287 | 2,286 |
| I-295 | 1,372 |
| US-9 | 1,119 |
| US-130 | 954 |
New Jersey at a glance
| Population | 9,500,851 |
| Land area | 7,355.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,292 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in New Jersey 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 | 1,998 | — | 75.9 |
| 2000s | 6,531 | +227% | 68.9 |
| 2010s | 5,432 | -17% | 58.9 |
| 2020s | 5,099 | -6% | 70.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1,998 a year in the 1990s and 5,099 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 64.0 a year in 2016–19 and 70.2 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in New Jersey
Largest places in New Jersey
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about New Jersey
How common are truck crashes in New Jersey?
New Jersey has had 63,185 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 36,322 people and killing 995.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in New Jersey?
NHTSA data shows I-95 with 58 fatal large-truck crashes in New Jersey since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in New Jersey?
The worst month is October: 9.6% of truck crashes in New Jersey happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in New Jersey?
Since 2015, New Jersey has reported 2,235 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
How does New Jersey compare with the US for truck crashes?
New Jersey records 56.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.7 across the US.
How can I plan a safer truck route in New Jersey?
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.