Brookdale, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Brookdale: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Brookdale and Essex County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Essex County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.6 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Essex County compares with New Jersey
Essex County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Essex County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Essex County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 49.5 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 13% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 19% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.9% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 13% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.3% | 26.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.6% | 13.7% | 13.8% | 8% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.5% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.9% | 19.9% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with New Jersey, Essex County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Brookdale: I-95 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Brookdale: 14 since 2015.
Overview
Essex County has recorded 5,012 truck crashes since 2015, with 2,742 people injured and 67 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Brookdale had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Essex County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.2%).
November through March accounts for 42.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in New Jersey.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (8.2%).
2.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.3% across New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-95 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (14). It is followed by I-80 (8), US-1 (8) and I-280 (7).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 200 crashes, 4.0% of the total, against 3.6% across New Jersey.
Their busiest month is October, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.6 deaths compared with 1.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Brookdale fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-95, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Essex County.
- Morning starts matter: 28.3% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than New Jersey.
- 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 Essex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 14 |
| I-80 | 8 |
| US-1 | 8 |
| I-280 | 7 |
| I-78 | 7 |
| SR-3 | 5 |
| SR-21 | 4 |
| CR-506 Bloomfield Ave | 2 |
| SR-124 | 2 |
| SR-17 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Essex County) |
|---|---|
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike | 745 |
| I-280 | 380 |
| I-78 | 357 |
| US-1 | 313 |
| Nj 21 | 270 |
| SR-506 | 95 |
| I-80 | 79 |
| Doremus Ave | 64 |
Brookdale at a glance
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 07043) | $250,001 |
| Median home value (ZIP 07043) | $973,948 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Essex 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 | 226 | — | 5.7 |
| 2000s | 558 | +146% | 3.1 |
| 2010s | 448 | -20% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 397 | -11% | 5.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 226 to 397. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 4.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Brookdale
How many truck crashes happen in Brookdale?
Since 2015, 5,012 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Essex County (2,742 injured, 67 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Brookdale?
NHTSA data shows I-95 with 14 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Brookdale since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Brookdale?
The worst month is October: 9.8% of truck crashes in Essex County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Brookdale?
Garbage trucks were involved in 200 reported crashes in Essex County since 2015 (4.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Brookdale compare with New Jersey?
Essex County records 49.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.6 across New Jersey.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Brookdale?
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.