Cape May, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cape May: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cape May and Cape May County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cape May County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
14.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Cape May County compares with New Jersey
Cape May County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cape May County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cape May County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.2 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 38% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 2.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.7% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 2.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 42% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.9% | 26.0% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.3% | 13.7% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 34.4% | 40.9% | 41.9% | 16% below the state |
| After dark | 11.0% | 19.9% | 24.8% | 45% below the state |
Compared with New Jersey, Cape May County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Cape May County at a glance: 1 in 13 garbage-truck share of crashes is 7.7%, against 3.6% for New Jersey.
Overview
Since 2015, 379 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cape May County. They injured 215 people and killed 12.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 11 days.
With 8 truck crashes reported in Cape May since 2015, this page uses Cape May County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (12.4% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 34.4% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across New Jersey.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (11.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 3.3% in New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cape May since 2015: Highs Beach Rd (1) and SR-147 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
31 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 8.2% share (New Jersey: 3.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in June (19%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 14.3 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Cape May fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in June; 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 Cape May County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Highs Beach Rd | 1 |
| SR-147 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cape May County) |
|---|---|
| US-9 | 58 |
| Garden State Parkway | 42 |
| Nj 47 | 37 |
| Nj 47 (Delsea Drive) | 12 |
| SR-550 | 9 |
| Cape May County 657 | 9 |
| Cape May County 623 | 9 |
| Cape May County 619 | 8 |
Cape May at a glance
| Population | 2,742 |
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,109 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 08204) | $82,466 |
| Median home value (ZIP 08204) | $459,250 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cape May 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 | 16 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 46 | +191% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 38 | -18% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 30 | -22% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 16 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 30. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cape May
How many truck crashes happen in Cape May?
379 truck crashes have been reported in Cape May County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 215 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cape May?
Truck crashes in Cape May County peak in June, with 12.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Cape May?
Garbage trucks were involved in 31 reported crashes in Cape May County since 2015 (8.2% of truck crashes).
How does Cape May compare with New Jersey for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Cape May County has 35.2 truck crashes a year; New Jersey has 56.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Cape May?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.