Old Tappan, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Old Tappan: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Old Tappan and Bergen County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Bergen County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Bergen County compares with New Jersey
Bergen County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bergen County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Bergen County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 63.5 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 38% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.0% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 9% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.8% | 26.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.7% | 13.7% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.3% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.0% | 19.9% | 24.8% | same |
Bergen County has lower values than New Jersey for deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr.
Old Tappan at a glance: 2.2× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Old Tappan (2.0 → 4.4).
Overview
Since 2015, 7,303 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Bergen County. They injured 4,202 people and killed 71.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
Old Tappan had 5 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Bergen County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 9.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 7.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.3% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across New Jersey.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 7.4% of truck crashes.
3.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.3% across New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-87 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). After it: SR-17 (4), SR-303 (4) and SR-4 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 263 crashes, 3.6% of the total, against 3.6% across New Jersey.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (11%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.0, vs 1.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Old Tappan fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Bergen County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-87; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Bergen County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-87 | 5 |
| SR-17 | 4 |
| SR-303 | 4 |
| SR-4 | 2 |
| SR-59 | 2 |
| CR-39 S Washington Ave | 1 |
| CR-501 | 1 |
| CR-60(CEDAR Lane) | 1 |
| CR-62 Passaic St | 1 |
| Grant Avenue | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bergen County) |
|---|---|
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike | 945 |
| Nj 17 | 887 |
| I-80 | 447 |
| I-287 | 356 |
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike-West Alignment | 282 |
| Nj 3 | 253 |
| US-46 | 194 |
| Nj 4 | 189 |
Old Tappan at a glance
| Population | 6,342 |
| Land area | 3.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,913 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 07675) | $183,154 |
| Median home value (ZIP 07675) | $719,247 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bergen 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 | 357 | — | 6.2 |
| 2000s | 750 | +110% | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 630 | -16% | 4.7 |
| 2020s | 575 | -9% | 4.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 357 to 575. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.0 a year in 2016–19, 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Old Tappan
How common are truck crashes in Old Tappan?
Since 2015, 7,303 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Bergen County (4,202 injured, 71 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Old Tappan?
I-87 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Old Tappan since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Old Tappan?
Truck crashes in Bergen County peak in October, with 9.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Old Tappan?
Garbage trucks were involved in 263 reported crashes in Bergen County since 2015 (3.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Old Tappan compared with New Jersey?
The yearly rate is 63.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Bergen County, vs 56.6 for New Jersey.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Old Tappan?
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.