Princeton, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Princeton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Princeton and Mercer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Mercer County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Mercer County compares with New Jersey
Mercer County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mercer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mercer County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.1 | 56.6 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.59 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.5% | 3.3% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 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) | 42.0% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.9% | 19.9% | 24.8% | same |
Mercer County has lower values than New Jersey for in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Princeton: US-1 9 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Princeton.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,481 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Mercer County. They injured 1,446 people and killed 51.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
Princeton had 104 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Mercer County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.2% of the year) and are lowest in June (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in New Jersey.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.5% of truck crashes, compared with 3.3% in New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
US-1 leads within 10 miles of Princeton with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-130 (3), CR-522 Ridge Rd (1) and CR-571 Washington Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 93 of the truck crashes here, or 3.7%, compared with 3.6% in New Jersey.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Princeton fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-1 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Mercer County.
- 28.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New Jersey; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Mercer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-1 | 9 |
| US-130 | 3 |
| CR-522 Ridge Rd | 1 |
| CR-571 Washington Rd | 1 |
| CR-614 | 1 |
| Corn Rd | 1 |
| I-295 | 1 |
| I-95 | 1 |
| Old Stage Rd | 1 |
| SR-27 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mercer County) |
|---|---|
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike | 348 |
| US-1 | 281 |
| I-295 | 149 |
| I-195 | 130 |
| US-130 | 106 |
| Nj 31 | 102 |
| Nj 29 | 71 |
| US-206 | 70 |
Princeton at a glance
| Population | 31,445 |
| Land area | 17.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,752 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 08542) | $105,524 |
| Median home value (ZIP 08542) | $711,585 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mercer 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 | 127 | — | 3.2 |
| 2000s | 302 | +137% | 4.3 |
| 2010s | 241 | -20% | 3.6 |
| 2020s | 201 | -16% | 3.2 |
In the 1990s about 127 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 201. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.0 a year in 2016–19, 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Princeton
How many truck crashes happen in Princeton?
Since 2015, 2,481 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mercer County (1,446 injured, 51 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Princeton?
Since 2015, US-1 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Princeton: 9.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Princeton?
The worst month is October: 10.2% of truck crashes in Mercer County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Princeton?
Garbage trucks were involved in 93 reported crashes in Mercer County since 2015 (3.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Princeton compare with New Jersey?
Per 100,000 residents, Mercer County has 54.1 truck crashes a year; New Jersey has 56.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Princeton?
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.