Middle, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Middle: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Middle 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 |
Cape May County has lower values than New Jersey for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Cape May County: 1 in 13 crashes involve a garbage truck (31 since 2015), vs 3.6% across New Jersey.
Overview
Since 2015, 379 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cape May County. They injured 215 people and killed 12.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
With 108 truck crashes reported in Middle since 2015, this page uses Cape May County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 12.4% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (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
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Middle is SR-47, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come Dune Drive (1), Highs Beach Rd (1) and SR-147 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 31 crashes, 8.2% of the total, against 3.6% across New Jersey.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in June (19% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 14.3 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Middle fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to SR-47 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Cape May County.
- 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 Cape May County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-47 | 2 |
| Dune Drive | 1 |
| 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 |
Middle at a glance
| Population | 19,944 |
| Land area | 70.2 sq mi |
| Density | 284 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 08210) | $90,013 |
| Median home value (ZIP 08210) | $368,463 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 16 to 30. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Middle
How common are truck crashes in Middle?
379 truck crashes have been reported in Cape May County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 215 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Middle?
Since 2015, SR-47 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Middle: 2.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Middle?
June has the most truck crashes in Cape May County, 12.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Middle?
Garbage trucks were involved in 31 reported crashes in Cape May County since 2015 (8.2% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Middle compared with New Jersey?
The yearly rate is 35.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cape May County, vs 56.6 for New Jersey.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Middle?
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.